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The Knesset’s 25th assembly opened its winter session on Monday with an official ceremony in the plenum, but behind the formality lies a looming political showdown that could determine the government’s survival. The upcoming session is expected to be one of the most volatile and decisive in recent years, a season that will test whether Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s coalition can maintain stability or face another election.

At the center of the storm is the long-simmering debate over the draft law. Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Boaz Bismuth is preparing to unveil a new draft proposal, based on a framework developed after extensive talks with defense officials and representatives of the chareidi community. The bill aims to find a delicate balance between the manpower needs of the IDF and the preservation of the world of Torah — a formula that could ultimately decide the coalition’s fate.

Another critical challenge is the 2026 state budget. Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich has already instructed his ministry to begin drafting it immediately, aware that it will serve as a key political and economic survival test for the government. The budget must address Israel’s ongoing security challenges, rehabilitation efforts in the South, and economic growth — all while navigating internal coalition pressures.

Simultaneously, the government is seeking to advance several structural reforms. Chief among them is a proposed Basic Law on Appointments, initiated by Netanyahu, which aims to regulate senior appointments in the public sector and streamline governance. Justice Minister Yariv Levin and MK Simcha Rothman are also expected to reintroduce portions of the controversial judicial reform package, while attempting to avoid renewed coalition turmoil.

Adding to the tension, Otzma Yehudit is pressing for the advancement of a bill instituting the death penalty for terrorists. Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has warned that he has given Netanyahu a deadline to move the legislation forward, threatening to break up the coalition if it stalls. The specific deadline remains undisclosed.

Meanwhile, discussions are intensifying over the formation of a governmental commission of inquiry into the October 7 massacre. The panel would examine the chain of failures that led to that day’s devastating events. Disputes are already brewing over the commission’s establishment, leadership, and powers — all of which could spark further political friction in the weeks ahead.

{Matzav.com}

Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, the architects of President Donald Trump’s ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, pushed back against accusations that Israel committed “genocide” in Gaza, defending the country’s military actions during a joint interview Sunday on 60 Minutes. Asked by correspondent Lesley Stahl whether they believed the war amounted to genocide, Kushner immediately replied, “No, no.” Witkoff followed: “Absolutely not. No. There was a war being fought.” Kushner, who visited Gaza after the ceasefire, described extensive destruction but placed blame squarely on Hamas. “It looked almost like a nuclear bomb had been set off in that area,” he said. “You see these people moving back … to the areas where their destroyed home was, onto their plot, and they’re going to pitch a tent. It’s very sad, because you think to yourself: they really have nowhere else to go.” The two men, who have led Trump’s diplomatic efforts in the region, appeared in Tel Aviv last week at a rally celebrating the pending release of 20 hostages. The crowd at Hostages Square chanted “Thank you, Trump!” as they touted the president’s role in brokering the deal. During his own visit to Israel earlier this month, Trump said Gaza’s reconstruction presented a “great opportunity,” adding that “even before the war, it was a hellhole.” Still, he emphasized that Gazans are “good people” and should be able to “remain there as it is rebuilt.” Kushner, echoing that message, told 60 Minutes his “biggest message” to Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was to “help the Palestinian people thrive and do better,” arguing that doing so would help Israel “integrate with the broader Middle East.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Kamala Harris took aim at Joe Biden’s judgment this week, calling his 2021 decision to exclude Elon Musk from a high-profile White House electric vehicle summit a “big mistake.” Her remarks came as the 82-year-old ex-president continues treatment for prostate cancer.

Speaking Tuesday at Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C., Harris said the move — widely viewed as a gesture to organized labor — backfired politically and alienated one of America’s most influential innovators. “I write in the book that I thought it was a big mistake to not invite Elon Musk when we did a big EV event,” Harris told Fortune Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell.

“I mean, here he is, the major American manufacturer of extraordinary innovation in this space,” Harris said, referring to Musk’s role in transforming the global electric vehicle industry.

Harris has been on a media tour promoting her memoir 107 Days, in which she faults Biden for what she describes as “recklessness” in seeking re-election despite declining health.

In August 2021, Biden hosted executives from General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis to celebrate a push for half of all new vehicles sold by 2030 to be zero-emission — but Tesla, the nation’s leading EV maker, was conspicuously left off the guest list.

At the time, White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended the invitees as “the three largest employers of the United Auto Workers,” a pointed reminder that Tesla’s workforce is nonunion. When pressed about whether Tesla’s exclusion was deliberate, Psaki replied, “I’ll let you draw your own conclusion.”

Musk, who had sold more electric cars than all three automakers combined, expressed his irritation in real time, tweeting: “Yeah, seems odd that Tesla wasn’t invited.” A month later, he accused Biden’s team of being “not the friendliest” and “controlled by unions.”

The administration stood by its outreach to Detroit’s Big Three, calling them essential to Biden’s goal of creating union-backed green jobs. Musk, meanwhile, mocked the president online, especially after SpaceX’s historic civilian spaceflight went unacknowledged by the White House.

At the Fortune event, Harris argued that national leaders should rise above partisan allegiances when recognizing innovation. “So, I thought that was a mistake, and I don’t know Elon Musk, but I have to assume that that was something that hit him hard and had an impact on his perspective,” she said.

Her comments mirrored a section of her new book, where she writes that the episode alienated Musk and helped push him toward President Donald Trump’s orbit. Musk went on to contribute nearly $300 million to Republican-aligned political groups during the 2024 election cycle.

Harris also used the platform to question the administration’s early policy priorities. “When we made the decision as an administration to put the infrastructure bill and the CHIPS Act first, I actually think that was a mistake,” she said.

“Very important work, no question, but we did that before putting the immediate needs ahead of anything else.” She argued that the administration should have prioritized child care and paid family leave sooner, saying Americans felt neglected as inflation rose. “If we can’t meet the basic needs of the people, there will be this backlash, which is going to resonate and sound like it is about ‘blame the rich’,” she said. “It’s about, ‘we need help for our basic needs, and please prioritize those needs’.”

Reports from the time revealed that Tesla officials repeatedly requested meetings with the White House but were ignored, partly due to union pressure. When Musk learned Tesla wouldn’t be invited to the EV event, White House officials reportedly called to apologize.

Tensions escalated further when Biden publicly praised GM CEO Mary Barra for having “electrified the entire automobile industry” — a claim that infuriated Musk, whose company had sold more than 115,000 EVs that quarter compared with GM’s 26,000.

Although Biden aides later sought to repair the relationship, arranging calls between Musk and top officials, the rift persisted. Musk increasingly aligned himself with conservatives, railing against “the woke mind virus” and backing Trump’s comeback campaign through his super PAC, America PAC.

{Matzav.com}

Metal shrapnel from an exploding artillery shell fell hit and damaged a California Highway Patrol vehicle as personnel at a U.S. Marine Corps base fired live rounds over a highway — against the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom — during weekend exercises observed by Vice President JD Vance, state authorities said Sunday. No one was injured. The incident occurred when ordnance detonated overhead prematurely during Saturday’s exercise at Camp Pendleton, the California Highway Patrol said in a news release. Newsom had strongly objected to the firing of munitions over Interstate 5 for safety reasons. The Democrat closed a 17-mile (27 kilometers) stretch of the road connecting Los Angeles and San Diego during the drills, which were held to mark the upcoming 250th birthday of the Marine Corps. The incident occurred in an area where officers had shut down traffic, the highway patrol said. A Marine Corps spokesperson said the service was aware of “a possible airborne detonation” of a 155 mm artillery round outside the exercise’s designated impact area. “Following established safety protocols, firing was suspended. No injuries occurred and the demonstration concluded as scheduled,” Capt. Gregory Dreibelbis of the I Marine Expeditionary Force said in an emailed statement. An investigation has been initiated, he said. “We are committed to determining the incident’s root cause and applying findings to future missions,” Dreibelbis said. The Marine Corps had said there was nothing unsafe about the exercise and that it was unnecessary to disrupt traffic on I-5. An incident report filed by the highway patrol said one officer heard what sounded like pebbles falling on his motorcycle and about 3 feet (91 centimeters) around him. His motorcycle was not damaged. He found a 1 inch-by-0.5 inch (2.5 cm-by-1.3 cm) piece of shrapnel nearby. One unoccupied patrol vehicle was hit by shrapnel. Officers found a 2 inch-by-0.5 inch (5 cm-by-1.3 cm) piece of shrapnel on the vehicle. It left a small dent and scratch on the vehicle’s hood. Officers said they notified the Marine Corps, which then canceled the firing of additional live ordnance over the freeway. Officers didn’t find any additional metal on freeway lanes and reopened the road. Newsom, a Democrat, posted a comment on the social media site X Sunday. “We love our Marines and owe a debt of gratitude to Camp Pendleton, but next time, the Vice President and the White House shouldn’t be so reckless with people’s lives for their vanity projects,” Newsom said. Vance, a Republican, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the base in north San Diego County for the Nov. 10 anniversary of the Marine Corps’ founding and to watch troops demonstrate a beach assault. Vance spent four years in the Marines and served a tour in Iraq. (AP)

Jared Kushner, senior adviser and son-in-law to President Donald Trump, said in an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes that he believes Hamas is genuinely attempting to locate the remains of Israeli hostages, not deliberately stalling their return.

As of early Monday, Hamas had still not handed over 16 of the 28 bodies of deceased hostages believed to have remained in Gaza when the ceasefire began on October 10.

Hamas has claimed that the devastation across the Gaza Strip has made it difficult to find the bodies quickly, while Israeli officials have accused the group of deceit, insisting that it knows where most of the remains are and could release them immediately.

Addressing the contradictory reports and Washington’s involvement in resolving them, Kushner said there has been “a very intense effort on behalf of our joint center with Israel and with the mediators in order to convey whatever information Israel has on the whereabouts of the bodies to the mediators and to Hamas– in order to retrieve them.”

He added that the U.S. is actively working to “push both sides to be proactive in terms of finding a solution instead of blaming each other for breakdowns.”

When pressed on whether he believed Hamas was “acting in good faith — seriously looking for the bodies,” Kushner responded affirmatively. “As far as we’ve seen from what’s being conveyed to us from the mediators, they are so far,” he said. “That could break down at any minute, but right now– we have seen them looking to honor their agreement.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mocked President Donald Trump’s assertion that recent U.S. airstrikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, calling the claim a fantasy.  “The U.S. president proudly says they bombed and destroyed Iran’s nuclear industry. Very well, keep dreaming!” Khamenei wrote on X, in a post that quickly went viral across Persian and English-language networks. The sharp exchange followed Trump remarks in which the president described the strikes on suspected Iranian nuclear sites as a “decisive victory” for American security interests. U.S. defense officials later told Congress that intelligence showed key facilities at Natanz and Fordow had sustained “irreparable damage.” Iranian officials, however, rejected those claims. Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said on state television that enrichment activities had resumed at alternative locations and that “the Islamic Republic’s nuclear knowledge cannot be bombed away.” Analysts said Khamenei’s comments reflect both defiance and political calculation. “This is classic Khamenei: projecting strength to rally hardliners at home while avoiding direct confrontation,” said Sanam Vakil of Chatham House. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

King Charles on Monday visited the scene of Yom Kippur’s deadly attack at a Manchester shul which left two people dead. The King was greeted by Rabbi Daniel Walker, the shul’s rav, upon his arrival at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation. He spent several minutes at a memorial site outside the shul, where flowers and handwritten messages have been placed in tribute to the victims. Authorities say 35-year-old Jihad al Shamie carried out the attack, pledging allegiance to the Islamic State terror group during a call he made to police amid his assault. He drove his car into mispalelim before attacking others with a knife and attempting to storm the shul while wearing a fake suicide belt. Armed police shot and killed him at the scene. Two men were killed: 66-year-old father of three Melvin Cravitz and 53-year-old Adrian Daulby, who investigators believe was fatally struck by police gunfire as he tried to block the shul doors to stop the attacker from entering. Three others were injured, including a security guard who was rammed by the attacker’s car, a volunteer who was stabbed, and Yoni Finlay, who underwent seven hours of surgery after reportedly being struck by police fire. Finlay was released from the hospital last week. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Israel needed to begin supporting the Palestinian population and investing in their wellbeing if it hoped to achieve lasting acceptance in the Middle East, Jared Kushner said in a televised interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes. Kushner, who served as an adviser to President Donald Trump and is also his son-in-law, said the message to Jerusalem was clear.

“The biggest message that we’ve tried to convey to the Israeli leadership now is that, now that the war is over, if you want to integrate Israel with the broader Middle East, you have to find a way to help the Palestinian people thrive and do better,” he said, sitting beside U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff.

Kushner noted that he and Witkoff had only begun the process of communicating this message to Israeli leaders and regional partners, saying that the two were “just getting started” in their efforts.

Elaborating on his long-term vision for the Palestinian people, Kushner said the administration’s goal was to ensure that both sides could live safely and prosper together. He explained that the U.S. approach focused on security and economic stability for both populations. “We’re focused on creating a situation for joint security and economic opportunity for Israelis and Palestinians so that they can live side by side in a durable way,” he said.

When asked whether this plan pointed toward Palestinian statehood, Kushner avoided setting labels, saying the final status should be determined by the people themselves. “What you end up calling it over time, we’ll allow the Palestinians to determine that themselves,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

A decade after a landmark study proved that feeding peanut products to young babies could prevent development of life-threatening allergies, new research finds the change has made a big difference in the real world. About 60,000 children have avoided developing peanut allergies after guidance first issued in 2015 upended medical practice by recommending introducing the allergen to infants starting as early as 4 months. “That’s a remarkable thing, right?” said Dr. David Hill, an allergist and researcher at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and author of a study published Monday in the medical journal Pediatrics. Hill and colleagues analyzed electronic health records from dozens of pediatric practices to track diagnoses of food allergies in young children before, during and after the guidelines were issued. “I can actually come to you today and say there are less kids with food allergy today than there would have been if we hadn’t implemented this public health effort,” he added. The researchers found that peanut allergies in children ages 0 to 3 declined by more than 27% after guidance for high-risk kids was first issued in 2015 and by more than 40% after the recommendations were expanded in 2017. The effort hasn’t yet reduced an overall increase in food allergies in the U.S. in recent years. About 8% of children are affected, including more than 2% with a peanut allergy. Peanut allergy is caused when the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies proteins in peanuts as harmful and releases chemicals that trigger allergic symptoms, including hives, respiratory symptoms and, sometimes, life-threatening anaphylaxis. For decades, doctors had recommended delaying feeding children peanuts and other foods likely to trigger allergies until age 3. But in 2015, Gideon Lack at King’s College London, published the groundbreaking Learning Early About Peanut Allergy, or LEAP, trial. Lack and colleagues showed that introducing peanut products in infancy reduced the future risk of developing food allergies by more than 80%. Later analysis showed that the protection persisted in about 70% of kids into adolescence. The study immediately sparked new guidelines urging early introduction of peanuts — but putting them into practice has been slow. Only about 29% of pediatricians and 65% of allergists reported following the expanded guidance issued in 2017, surveys found. Confusion and uncertainty about the best way to introduce peanuts early in life led to the lag, according to a commentary that accompanied the study. Early on, medical experts and parents alike questioned whether the practice could be adopted outside of tightly controlled clinical settings. The data for the analysis came from a subset of participating practice sites and may not represent the entire U.S. pediatric population, noted the commentary, led by Dr. Ruchi Gupta, a child allergy expert at Northwestern University. However, the new research offers “promising evidence that early allergen introduction is not only being adopted but may be making a measurable impact,” the authors concluded. Advocates for the 33 million people in the U.S. with food allergies welcomed signs that early introduction of peanut products is catching on. “This research reinforces what we already know and underscores a meaningful opportunity to reduce the incidence and prevalence of peanut allergy nationwide,” said Sung Poblete, chief executive of the nonprofit group Food Allergy Research & Education, or FARE. The new study emphasizes the current guidance, updated in 2021, which […]

A new Gotham Polling/AARP survey shows former Gov. Andrew Cuomo could be in a dead heat with Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani if Republican Curtis Sliwa drops out of the NYC mayoral race. With Sliwa out, Mamdani leads 44.6% to Cuomo’s 40.7% — within the margin of error. With all three candidates running, Mamdani still holds a strong lead: 43.2% to Cuomo’s 28.9% and Sliwa’s 19.4%.

Poll Finds Cuomo Gains Ground on Mamdani if Sliwa Exits NYC Mayoral Race Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo could be within striking distance of Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani in New York City’s mayoral race if Republican Curtis Sliwa were to drop out, according to a new Gotham Polling and AARP survey released this week. The poll found that 44.6% of likely voters would back Mamdani if Sliwa exited the race, while 40.7% would support Cuomo — a margin of less than four points, within the poll’s margin of error. With all three candidates in the race, Mamdani maintains a commanding lead at 43.2%, followed by Cuomo at 28.9% and Sliwa at 19.4%. “The decisive factor in this race may be the older voters who haven’t yet made up their minds,” said Stephen Graves, president of Gotham Polling & Analytics. “If the contest narrows to two leading candidates, the 50-plus electorate — by far the most reliable voting bloc — will likely determine who becomes the next mayor of New York City.” The survey of 1,040 likely voters — conducted over two days last week — found that 78% of undecided voters are 50 or older, suggesting a key advantage for Cuomo among an age group that has historically shown higher turnout rates. The poll’s demographic model, based on 2021 general election data, assumed that just under 40% of voters would be under 50. Mamdani’s campaign, however, has registered tens of thousands of new young voters, which could make the electorate more evenly split between younger and older voters this November. Both Cuomo, who is running as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the Democratic primary, and Sliwa have said they will remain in the race. The poll also found that cost of living remains the most pressing concern for city voters, with 63.6% citing it as their top issue. Public safety ranked second at 48.6%, followed by housing affordability at 38.9%. Nearly 43% of respondents identified as very or somewhat liberal, compared to just over 23% identifying as somewhat or very conservative. Mamdani, 33, a state assemblyman from Queens and a self-described socialist, shocked the city’s political establishment by defeating Cuomo and outgoing Mayor Eric Adams in June’s Democratic primary. Born in Uganda and now representing Astoria, Mamdani has faced criticism for his past comments on Israel and his refusal to condemn Hamas. Cuomo, 67, a former governor and U.S. Housing and Urban Development secretary, has sought to portray Mamdani as inexperienced, warning that his policies are “untested and extreme.” During a Sunday appearance on WABC 770 AM’s “The Cats Roundtable,” Cuomo called Sliwa a “spoiler” in the race. “The problem is Curtis Sliwa is a spoiler in the race,” Cuomo said. “A vote for Curtis Sliwa is really a vote for Mamdani.” Sliwa, 71, founder of the Guardian Angels and a former talk radio host, pushed back during last week’s debate, suggesting that Cuomo should be the one to exit the race. “Once again, New York’s older voters are poised to decide this election,” said Beth Finkel, AARP New York State Director. “These are issues that matter not only to older adults and to New Yorkers of every generation.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Vice President JD Vance downplayed the latest outbreak of violence in Gaza on Sunday, telling reporters that occasional flare-ups were to be expected as part of the fragile ceasefire process. “Hamas is going to fire on Israel. Israel is going to have to respond,” he said.

Vance emphasized that while setbacks were inevitable, the administration still believed the truce could hold and eventually lead to lasting calm. “So we think that it has the best chance for a sustainable peace. But even if it does that, it’s going to have hills and valleys, and we’re going to have to monitor the situation.”

The vice president also urged cooperation from Arab partners in the region, calling on Gulf states to take a more active role in enforcing the terms of the agreement and ensuring that Hamas is fully disarmed. “The Gulf Arab states, our allies, don’t have the security infrastructure in place yet to confirm that Hamas is disarmed,” he said.

Vance added that the administration would soon send representatives to Israel to oversee developments and assess progress on the ground. He did not specify who would make the trip, saying only that “a member of the Trump administration was ‘certainly’ going to visit Israel ‘in the next few days’ to monitor the situation.” He added, “it might be me.”

According to a U.S. official quoted by The Times of Israel, special envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner were scheduled to arrive in Israel on Monday, with Vance expected to follow a day later on Tuesday.

{Matzav.com}

Britain’s King Charles visited the Heaton Park shul in Manchester today, paying his respects at the site where a deadly Islamic terrorist attack took place on Yom Kippur.  

The IDF confirms it carried out airstrikes in southern Lebanon a short time ago, targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in the Nabatieh area.

Vice President Vance said that Hamas has fragmented into several splintered factions rather than functioning as a unified organization, making disarmament nearly impossible. “We don’t even know what the reality on the ground is,” he added.

Palestinian news outlets are reporting that IDF airstrikes yesterday killed Taj al-Din al-Wahidi, the deputy commander of Hamas’s Imad Aqel Battalion in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza.

Early this morning, Israeli forces detained more than 120 Palestinians who illegally crossed the border fence near Moshav Amatzia in the Lachish region.

HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau shlit”a arrived in America this morning, marking his first visit in over a year, beginning in Cleveland, Ohio, on behalf of Keren Olam HaTorah.

Ukraine and the United States are finalizing a contract for the purchase of 25 Patriot air defense systems.