Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri has withdrawn from public and political life for a full week, undertaking a continuous taanis (fast) and transferring key parliamentary responsibilities to fellow members of his party as the traditional Shovavim period draws to a close.
Deri was notably absent Monday from the party’s weekly faction meeting in the Knesset. Lawmakers convened around the table and conducted the session without their chairman — an occurrence considered highly unusual within the party.
Only a small number of MKs were aware of the reason for his disappearance. Some were told he had traveled abroad for a family event. Others knew that Deri remained in Israel but had chosen to step away from public activity for several days.
According to party sources, Deri accepted upon himself a consecutive seven-day fast, abstaining from both food and speech from the conclusion of Shabbos until the onset of the following Shabbos. The fast comes in anticipation of the conclusion of the Shovavim period, traditionally observed as days of spiritual strengthening and introspection.
Due to the nature of the fast, Deri has refrained from speaking with anyone. In exceptional circumstances involving security matters, he has received updates and responded only in writing.
With significant political matters pending — including legislation concerning the military draft law and the state budget — Deri delegated authority on these issues to Shas Knesset members. They were the ones who ultimately decided to support the split of the Arrangements Law.
As for Deri’s current location, speculation within Shas circles remains divided. Some claim he is staying in Peki’in, while others believe he is presently in the city of Netivot.
The fast is expected to conclude at the onset of Shabbos later this week. After nightfall on Motzaei Shabbos, Deri is anticipated to resume his regular public and political schedule.
{Matzav.com}
[Video below.] Sen. Bernie Sanders sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s glowing assessment of the U.S. economy during a Tuesday appearance on MSNBC’s “All In,” accusing the president of being “completely crazy and delusional, or just a pathological liar” for portraying current conditions as historic.
The remarks came after Trump, speaking on the Fox Business Network, praised the nation’s economic performance in sweeping terms.
“This is the greatest period of anything that we’ve ever seen. We had the greatest economy in the history of our country in my first term. I think we’re blowing it away. Now I think we have the greatest economy, actually, ever in history,” Trump said.
Responding to that clip, Sanders told host Chris Hayes that broader concerns about the country’s direction extend beyond the economy alone.
“Well, look, Chris, I think the American people understand with what’s going on in Minneapolis, Trump’s attacks on the media, universities. He is going after political opponents and through criminal actions, that we are moving into an authoritarian society,” Sanders said.
The Vermont independent then questioned Trump’s characterization of economic conditions, arguing that many Americans are struggling financially despite the president’s claims.
“In terms of I got to tell you, though, I seen that tape you just scrolled. You wonder whether Trump is completely crazy and delusional, or just a pathological liar. But the idea that anybody would believe that this is a great economy when 60% of our people are living paycheck to paycheck, when the cost of health care is going up, people can’t afford housing, people can’t afford their basic groceries, childcare system is dysfunctional, people can’t afford to go to college. And if this is the greatest economy in the history of the world, God help us.”
WATCH: {Matzav.com}Significant unanswered questions still surround the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, according to Sen. Dave McCormick, who says the public has not received a full accounting of what went wrong that day.
In an interview with New York Post columnist Miranda Devine on the Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast, McCormick said he remains troubled by how a 20-year-old gunman was able to position himself and fire on Trump during the July 13, 2024 rally at the Butler Farm Show grounds. He told Devine he is “not satisfied” with the explanations that have been provided so far.
Reflecting on the proximity of the shooter to the stage — “less than 150 yards” — McCormick described the lapse as “hard to imagine,” calling it both “a breach in security” and “a breach in protocol.” He questioned how such a vulnerability could have existed at a presidential campaign event.
McCormick said he had been seated in the front row of the rally after Trump briefly weighed inviting him onto the stage. When gunfire erupted, he immediately recognized the sound from his military background, he told Devine.
He described watching Trump reach for his ear as Secret Service agents rushed to shield him. McCormick also recalled the widely circulated moment when Trump stood up, raised his fist, and shouted, “Fight, fight, fight,” before being escorted from the stage.
The attack left one rally attendee dead and two others injured. Corey Comperatore was killed while protecting his family, and two additional rallygoers were wounded. The suspected gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed at the scene.
Although federal authorities have concluded that Crooks acted alone, the incident has continued to spark skepticism and concern among members of the public. McCormick argued that restoring trust will require complete transparency from Washington.
Drawing on his experience at Bridgewater Associates, McCormick said he believes in a culture of “radical truth, radical transparency,” adding that “the American people, they can take the truth,” even in highly charged political situations. He said information should be disclosed in all but the rare instances where doing so would truly jeopardize national security, according to the transcript.
The New York Post highlighted what it described as a noticeable difference between the gradual release of details in the Butler case and the rapid public discussion of possible ideological motives following the later assassination of conservative leader Charlie Kirk. The comparison, the paper noted, may resonate with Americans who perceive that institutions are quick to frame certain acts of violence through a political lens while moving more cautiously when facts do not align as neatly.
Subsequent reporting has focused on lingering questions about accountability. Families of victims connected to the Butler rally have publicly demanded clarity regarding security breakdowns and whether any officials will face consequences.
Media reports have also detailed disciplinary measures within the Secret Service after internal reviews reportedly uncovered serious failures in coordination and threat response related to the rally.
For McCormick, the core issue is public trust. He told Devine that when the government appears to “stonewall,” even if officials believe they have “legitimate answers,” it ultimately “breeds mistrust.”
{Matzav.com}
The IDF and the Shin Bet announced that they eliminated Basam Hashem al-Fatah Himouni in a joint operation last week, removing a longtime Hamas operative who had been involved in attacks against Israel for more than 20 years.
Himouni, a native of Chevron, was considered a key player in Hamas’ terror infrastructure and maintained an active role in directing operations targeting Israel over the course of two decades.
He was responsible for dispatching the suicide bombers who carried out the coordinated double bombing of two buses in Be’er Sheva in August 2004. That attack claimed the lives of 16 people and wounded roughly 100 others. Israeli security forces apprehended him soon afterward, in October 2004, and he was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.
In 2011, as part of the “Shalit Deal,” Himouni was freed from prison and expelled to Gaza. After his release, he resumed involvement in terrorist activity, enlisting operatives and overseeing attacks.
Security officials said that amid the ongoing war, Himouni played a role in manufacturing and deploying explosive devices intended to target IDF troops operating in Gaza.
“His elimination represents an important and meaningful closure,” a joint statement read. “The IDF and Shin Bet will continue to operate against any terrorist who attempts to advance and execute terror plans against IDF forces and the State of Israel’s citizens.”
{Matzav.com}
Even after Shas and Degel HaTorah signaled a willingness to accept the full slate of demands presented by the Knesset’s legal advisers regarding the draft law, the legal counsel to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is now pushing for additional and more far-reaching sanctions on yeshiva students.
Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee legal adviser Miri Frenkel-Shor is seeking to incorporate new, significant penalties into the current version of the conscription legislation, according to new information.
Senior officials within Degel HaTorah say that after the chareidi factions indicated they were prepared to meet all of the Knesset legal advisory team’s requirements — including raising enlistment targets and agreeing that sanctions would take effect immediately and only be lifted after a full year of compliance — they were taken aback to learn that further penalties were being demanded.
“She asked to add another basket of sanctions, ones that would apply to Torah students even in a situation where enlistment targets are met. She sent us back to the Edelstein document. We’re in trouble,” a senior Degel figure involved in drafting the legislation admitted.
The same official added that additional disputes remain unresolved, including the status of yeshiva students who have been classified as draft evaders. “In the end, the ones who will decide are the Gedolei Yisrael,” he said.
As previously reported, representatives from Shas and Degel HaTorah acknowledged that negotiations have reached an impasse, with no apparent path to bridging the gap between the legal advisory demands and the agreements the chareidi factions are prepared to accept.
Senior chareidi officials related that an understanding with the legal advisers now appears unlikely. In the immediate term, they said, Gedolei Yisrael will need to determine how the factions proceed regarding both the draft law and the state budget.
“We are in the worst position we’ve been in so far,” a senior chareidi figure involved in the draft law discussions said. “We will have to make decisions. In the immediate timeframe, we will present the matter to the Gedolei Yisrael to receive their ruling on how to continue the legislative process.”
According to party insiders, Degel HaTorah is weighing several possible courses of action. One option under consideration is agreeing to the primary demands of the Knesset’s legal advisory team, including immediate implementation of sanctions and higher enlistment targets, in line with the position of committee legal adviser Attorney Miri Frenkel-Shor.
Another scenario being discussed is advancing the draft legislation — known as the Bismuth Law — even without the support of the legal advisory establishment, fully aware that the High Court of Justice is likely to issue an interim injunction and could ultimately strike the law down.
A third possibility, described by senior officials as less realistic, would involve dissolving the Knesset and heading to immediate elections. “That’s the least realistic option, because you don’t dismantle a government in an election year and shoot ourselves in the other foot. We would be the first to be harmed if there is no budget,” one senior official said.
“There isn’t much time,” the officials added. “We will likely need to make decisions before the end of the week. Gedolei Yisrael will make the decision — not us.”
{Matzav.com}
A new twist has emerged in the ongoing and perplexing case involving the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, as TMZ reports it has received another letter demanding payment in cryptocurrency in exchange for information about her alleged abductor.
According to TMZ, the message calls for a transfer of one bitcoin — roughly $66,000 — in return for what it describes as the “name of the individual involved” in the kidnapping of the mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie.
The letter is said to be the third communication sent since Nancy was last seen on Jan. 31. During an appearance Wednesday on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom,” TMZ founder Harvey Levin shared additional details about the contents of the note.
“They said they want one bitcoin sent to a bitcoin address that we have confirmed is active. It’s a real bitcoin address, and as they put it, time is more than relevant,” Levin said. “So we have no idea whether this is real or not. But they are making a demand.”
{Matzav.com}
