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Bibi Netanyahu moved to fill the upcoming vacancy at the helm of the Mossad by announcing that Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman, his current military secretary, will become the intelligence agency’s next director. David Barnea, who now heads the Mossad, is scheduled to conclude his five-year term in June 2026. Channel 12 reported that by choosing Gofman — someone outside the Mossad’s senior ranks — Netanyahu sidestepped the contenders recommended by Barnea himself. The decision has already been forwarded to the Advisory Committee for Senior Appointments for its required review.

Unlike the stormy process surrounding David Zini’s controversial selection to lead the Shin Bet — a move that triggered weeks of legal battles before Zini finally assumed the post in October — Gofman’s appointment is widely expected to advance without significant hurdles.

Gofman, born in Belarus, immigrated to Israel at age 14 in 1990 and built a career rising through the IDF’s Armored Corps. He eventually became a division commander before transitioning away from combat duties.

According to the prime minister’s office, “Gofman is a highly distinguished officer. His appointment as the prime minister’s military secretary in the midst of the war… proved that he possesses exceptional professional capabilities, from his rapid entry into the role to his immediate and significant involvement in the seven arenas of the war.” The PMO added that throughout this period Gofman “maintained continuous coordination with all intelligence and security agencies, especially the Mossad,” and praised his “creativity, initiative, ingenuity, deep knowledge of the enemy, complete discretion, and strict confidentiality.”

“The prime minister believes that Maj. Gen. Gofman is the most qualified and suitable candidate to serve as Mossad director and wishes him great success in this important role,” the PMO declared.

Before a cabinet meeting on the budget, Netanyahu highlighted that Gofman cooperated closely with the Mossad during the war and commended his “initiative and willingness to engage.”

The IDF announced that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir met with Gofman on Thursday to congratulate him for being chosen to take over the Mossad. During their conversation, Zamir “emphasized that cooperation between the organizations is important for the security of the state, and that the IDF will stand behind him and assist as needed in order for him to succeed in his role.”

Gofman’s nearly two years as Netanyahu’s military secretary have brought him into the prime minister’s inner orbit. In that capacity, he traveled abroad for sensitive missions and ensured that Netanyahu’s instructions were carried out within the military framework.

His IDF service began in 1995 in the Armored Corps, where he served as a tank commander in the 188th Brigade. His trajectory later included leading the 75th Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade, serving as operations officer of the 36th Division, and heading the Etzion Regional Brigade during a tumultuous period marked by repeated terror attacks.

He returned to the Armored Corps in 2017 to command the 7th Brigade. The following year, while speaking before senior commanders, he delivered a now-famous critique: “There is one problem, you’re not deploying us. Over time, a very troubling pattern is developing here, and at its core is avoiding the use of ground forces.”

In 2020, Gofman took charge of the 210th “Bashan” Regional Division along the Syrian frontier. His tenure included a controversial episode in which a teenage Israeli was given sensitive information — with Gofman’s approval — to share anonymously online as part of an unauthorized influence initiative. He has insisted he was unaware of the youth’s age, stressing that he ordered only unclassified material be passed along. The teen, Ori Elmakayes, spent 18 months in detention before charges were dismissed.

By 2022, Gofman was appointed commander of the Tzeelim training base in southern Israel. On October 7, 2023, he rushed toward the Gaza border and was severely wounded while fighting Hamas-led terrorists near Sha’ar Hanegev Junction. Netanyahu later remarked, “He was wounded there, recovered, and has been doing tremendous work for Israel’s security. I am confident that he will continue to do so even more strongly in his next role in the Mossad.” After recuperating, he briefly served as chief of staff within COGAT, the Defense Ministry unit overseeing Israel’s coordination with the Palestinian population.

In 2024, Gofman officially stepped into the role of military secretary to the prime minister. Before beginning that assignment, he authored a classified proposal arguing that Israel should maintain military control over Gaza following a victory over Hamas — a stance the IDF publicly distanced itself from, insisting that “this is an internal and classified document that presents the position of the officer only, and does not represent the official position of the IDF.”

Gofman now becomes the latest senior military figure to assume a major national-security post outside the army, following Zini at the Shin Bet and the appointment of retired police commander Yoram Halevi to run COGAT.

Appointing a general to lead the Mossad is uncommon but not unheard of. Meir Dagan, who rose to major general and served in the military from 1963 to 1996, was named Mossad chief in 2002 and remained in the role until 2011. Danny Yatom, another major general and a former military secretary to the prime minister, assumed leadership of the Mossad immediately after his army career ended and directed the agency until 1998.

{Matzav.com}

A new national survey shows that most Israelis reject the idea of granting Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu a presidential pardon under the conditions he has requested. While the proposal has generated intense debate, the data indicates that more than half of the public is unwilling to support such a move unless there is an acknowledgment of wrongdoing.

The poll, carried out for Zman Yisrael — the Hebrew-language branch of The Times of Israel — was produced by Tatika Research and Media together with the Adgenda panel. Respondents were asked directly: “Do you support or oppose Netanyahu’s request for a presidential pardon without admitting guilt or expressing remorse?” The findings revealed that 53.2% said they oppose it, while 42.4% said they support it.

The survey also explored public attitudes toward the chareidi conscription proposal advanced by MK Boaz Bismuth. Participants were asked whether they favor or oppose the draft legislation he has put forward. According to the results, 53.8% said they oppose the law in any case, 24.8% said they support it in any case, and 13.8% said they would support it only if changes were made.

The poll was conducted between December 3 and 4, 2025 and drew on responses from 500 individuals, both Jewish and Arab. The study reported a margin of error of 4.4%.

{Matzav.com}

An integrated project that took 19 years to work on, millions of dollars of investment, and a century-old vision of the Lubavitcher Rebbe have come together in a single historic moment: the publication of the “Tanya Hasholeim”. Spanning over 1,100 pages, this deluxe set is the most ambitious Tanya published since the original printing in […]

A remarkable act of honesty and kiddush Hashem unfolded today in the home of the Raavad of Bnei Brak, Rav Yehuda Silman, after an avreich from the Slabodka Kollel discovered 150,000 shekel in cash hidden inside the wall of the apartment he had just purchased — and returned every cent to the seller, a secular woman who had no idea the money even existed.

The young avreich bought an older apartment in Bnei Brak several weeks ago. The property had originally been purchased years earlier by a woman from Hod HaSharon, though the actual resident for the last period had been her brother, who suffered from health issues and lived there alone.

When the brother passed away, the apartment reverted to the woman’s possession, and she put it up for sale. The avreich purchased it for his young family, never imagining that a halachic dilemma of this magnitude was waiting inside the walls.

During renovations, workers broke through part of an old wall and uncovered a plastic bag stuffed with 150,000 shekel in cash. The discovery immediately raised complex questions: Did the money belong to the deceased brother who had saved it privately? If he had never mentioned it in his will, could it still belong to his heirs? Or was this a case of yei’ush shelo midaas, where the owner unknowingly abandons property and it could legally belong to the finder?

Seeking clarity, the avreich traveled to the home of Rav Yehuda Silman in the Ramat Elchanan neighborhood. After reviewing the circumstances, Rav Silman instructed him unequivocally to return the money to the seller, who had been completely unaware that such a sum was hidden in the apartment her brother had occupied.

Determined to fulfill the mitzvah and sanctify Hashem’s name, the avreich arranged a formal maamad hashava in Rav Silman’s home on Thursday afternoon. A small group of his friends attended, along with the woman who had originally sold him the apartment and who suddenly found herself the recipient of an unexpected “inheritance” she never dreamed existed.

One of the attendees related that the woman, who is not religious, was moved to tears when she received the money. Overwhelmed, she kept repeating that she could not believe such integrity existed — that someone would willingly return such a significant amount rather than keep it quietly.

Rav Silman himself was deeply touched by the scene. He called for everyone present to say l’chaim, and he offered heartfelt brachos to the avreich. He blessed him that in the merit of this mitzvah, his home should be filled with abundant blessing, and that he should merit sons and daughters who follow the path of Torah and mitzvos.

What began as a simple renovation became a moment of soaring kiddush Hashem — the kind of story that reminds the world of the beauty and loyalty to halacha that define the Jewish heart.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. applications for unemployment benefits fell to their lowest level in more than three years during Thanksgiving week, potentially complicating the Federal Reserve’s upcoming decision on interest rates. The number of Americans applying for jobless benefits for the week ending Nov. 29 fell to 191,000 from the previous week’s 218,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. […]

A chaotic confrontation inside an Israel-controlled section of eastern Rafah ended Thursday with the killing of Yasser Abu Shabab, the head of an Arab militia that had been cooperating with Israeli forces. Defense officials believe simmering tensions within the ranks erupted violently, culminating in the deadly clash.

Investigators say the altercation quickly spiraled as members of Abu Shabab’s own group turned on him, delivering blows that left him fatally injured. Authorities emphasized that “Hamas terrorists were not involved,” distancing the incident from outside interference.

During the melee, his deputy, Rasan a-Dahini, was also hurt. Both men were rushed to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, where a-Dahini was treated for a gunshot wound to the leg and is reported to have suffered only minor injuries.

Not long after the event, the militia known as the Popular Forces publicly acknowledged its leader’s death. Their statement insisted that “he was hit by gunfire while attempting to resolve a clan dispute,” and firmly rejected claims blaming Hamas, calling those reports “not true.”

The group’s announcement reaffirmed their mission, declaring that “the Popular Forces will continue on the same path until the final elimination of the terrorists in Gaza and the building of a safe future for our peace-seeking people.”

In an interview he once gave to KAN News, Abu Shabab described his fighters as young Gaza residents disconnected from any established faction. “We tasted the bitterness and injustice caused to us by Hamas and took upon ourselves to deal with this aggression,” he said. “We will become a support for our people to remove this injustice.” He added: “We support any legitimate force that adopts the idea of removing injustice and corruption.”

He outlined the group’s commitment to confrontation if necessary, saying, “We have young people and we have an army. We are conducting training in the field. We have undertaken to work for the liberation of the people from injustice and violence. We have strength, and there will be victims and bloodshed. We will pay the price to liberate our people. There is no prohibition against direct confrontation with Hamas and no prohibition against civil war, whatever the cost may be.”

Abu Shabab described the militia as primarily operating in Rafah under the umbrella of full IDF control. “We move easily in Rafah, but there are other areas in the southern Gaza Strip where we move with caution. We entered Khan Yunis, the Nasser Hospital – which was previously held by Hamas – without security in these areas, like the areas under the control of the IDF. We entered these areas and carried out operations beyond the expected.”

He had also asserted that the Popular Forces would assume leadership once Hamas is pushed aside. “Hamas knows and understands this; we will be the heirs in Gaza after the defeat of Hamas.”

When questioned about a Hamas-issued warrant demanding he surrender within ten days, Abu Shabab responded sharply: “Instead of Hamas issuing arrest orders, they should judge those who committed the October 7th massacre. They are the cause of the Palestinian people’s plight, the persecution of civilians, and the killing of the innocent. They should put themselves on trial, not the rest of the people.”

He dismissed Hamas’ threats as empty rhetoric, saying, “As for me, their threats and their slanderous trial did not move me. Hamas is only an illusion, a hot air balloon. Hamas is fighting for its life, it is going for a deal that is the last way to preserve its existence. They are near their end both in morale and material worlds, and I am pursuing them in the material world.”

{Matzav.com}

Federal authorities revealed on Thursday that a suspect has finally been arrested in connection with the pipe bombs planted outside the Democratic and Republican national committee headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021. The announcement came from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who said that a Virginia resident, Brian Cole Jr., had been taken into custody after years of investigative dead ends.

During her press briefing, Bondi explained that Cole is facing serious federal charges. “He’s been charged with violating 18 U.S.C. 844, which is use of an explosive device,” she noted, adding that the operation is unfolding rapidly. “This investigation is ongoing; as we speak, search warrants are being executed, and there could be more charges to come.”

Bondi emphasized how long the case had stagnated. The “cold case languished for four years,” she said, until FBI Director Kash Patel and his team were tasked with reopening it after President Donald Trump entered office. Patel described the shift in direction once the bureau reassessed the file. “We did not discover new information,” Patel stated. “What we did, an investigation spearheaded by the deputy director and the Washington field office, [was] brought in investigators and experts, reexamined every piece of evidence, sifted through all the data — something that the prior administration refused and failed to do. As a result of that, we generated numerous investigative leads, executed multiple legal processes with our U.S. attorney partners, and came to this conclusion today, and that is why we’re able to safely secure this individual into custody.”

Court documents indicate that investigators linked Cole to the crime by following purchases of materials made two years before the attack. Relatives listed in public records were contacted but did not respond, according to The Associated Press.

Neighbors watched as unmarked vehicles filled the cul-de-sac near Cole’s Woodbridge home just hours after his arrest. FBI agents were observed going in and out of the residence and searching a nearby vehicle as law enforcement secured the area.

The explosive devices were planted the night before the Jan. 6 Capitol protest. Thankfully, they were neutralized before anyone was harmed, though the FBI has said both bombs were fully capable of causing lethal damage. Yet for years, authorities had struggled to identify even the most basic details about the masked individual caught on video placing the devices.

Hoping to shake loose new clues, the FBI released additional footage and information last January, including an estimate that the suspect stood about 5 feet, 7 inches tall. The earlier surveillance clips had shown the individual roaming the neighborhood for nearly an hour — sitting briefly on a bench, walking through an alley, and pausing as a passerby with a dog went by. The figure’s attire, consisting of a light sweatshirt, dark pants, and sneakers with a dark backpack, obscured nearly everything about their identity. Although investigators believed the suspect’s gait pointed toward a male, the mask and hood concealed any defining facial features.

Digital data collection became central to the probe. Agents pieced together cellphone information from the vicinity and subpoenaed tech companies — including Google — for location records matching the suspect’s movements. They also dug into credit card histories from various retailers and hobby shops in search of customers who bought items similar to those used in the pipe bombs, which were about a foot long and filled with metal and gunpowder, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the case.

Another track of the investigation centered on the suspect’s footwear: Nike Air Max Speed Turfs. After Nike confirmed that thousands of pairs had been distributed across multiple retail chains, investigators issued subpoenas to major stores such as Foot Locker, attempting to match sales records with suspect profiles.

Despite years of exhaustive review — thousands of video files, hundreds of interviews, and countless tips — investigators had repeatedly run into dead ends. The arrest of Cole marks the first significant breakthrough in a case that had frustrated federal agents and captivated public attention for nearly four years.

{Matzav.com}

In light of growing public uncertainty over the kashrus status of common beers, the CRC (Williamsburg) has released a new clarification addressing which beverages remain free of concern. The announcement comes amid an influx of questions regarding the possibility of non-kosher additives appearing even in well-known brands. According to the CRC, many widely purchased beers […]

Britain sanctioned Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency and summoned Moscow’s ambassador on Thursday after an inquiry concluded that President Vladimir Putin was responsible for a nerve agent attack on British soil in 2018. The government said that the GRU was being sanctioned in its entirely for “reckless” acts including the attack in the city of […]

Israeli officials traveled to Cairo on Thursday for urgent discussions aimed at securing the return of the final hostage, the fallen Master Sgt. Ran Gvili. The delegation’s mission followed the directive of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, who instructed that every possible step be taken to advance immediate movement on the case.

Leading the group was Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch, the Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing, who was joined by senior representatives from the IDF, Shin Bet, and the Mossad. Their mandate was to engage with mediators and push forward any path that could bring about closure for the Gvili family and for the nation.

By the end of the Cairo meetings, the participating parties reached a shared understanding about the next steps. It was determined that efforts must now be concentrated on “an intensive and immediate effort that will lead to the full completion of the mission regarding the hostages and the missing,” with all sides agreeing to accelerate the process until the goal is achieved.

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A wave of condemnation swept through Los Angeles on Wednesday after a protest outside the Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Koreatown escalated into vandalism, arrests, and open displays of virulent anti-Jewish hostility.

The Los Angeles Police Department reported that the confrontation began around 10 a.m., when demonstrators assembled outside the synagogue. Dozens of protesters chanted, “Palestine will live forever,” “stop the occupation,” “baby killers,” “Zionist pigs,” and “scum of the earth.” Officers responding to the scene ultimately detained two individuals — one for battery and another for vandalism.

Mayor Karen Bass sharply criticized what unfolded, labeling the episode “abhorrent and has no place in Los Angeles.” She noted that officials had informed her of the disruption that spilled into the shul itself, writing, “I received reports that individuals interrupted a private event at the historic Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Koreatown, calling attendees anti-semitic names and damaging property inside the temple.” Bass said she reached out directly to the congregation’s leadership: “I spoke with Rabbi Nickerson to ensure he and his congregation know that the City of Los Angeles stands with them and fully condemns these attacks. I am grateful to the LAPD officers who addressed this disturbance. Additional LAPD officers have been deployed to patrol near areas of worship.”

Rabbi Joel Nickerson explained that the temple had been hosting a program “focusing on advancing public safety in Koreatown” when the demonstrators intruded. He expressed appreciation for the swift backing from authorities and public officials, stating, “We appreciate the strong support we have received from elected leaders and law enforcement and look forward to working with them to ensure that those responsible for this hateful and illegal conduct are held accountable.” He reiterated that such behavior threatens every Angeleno: “No one should be targeted in the City of Los Angeles on account of their faith.”

The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles likewise issued a forceful denunciation. Spokesperson Aram Goldberg wrote, “We are outraged and condemn this antisemitic behavior in the strongest of terms. There is no place in our community — or anywhere — for antisemitism and hate disguised as dissent.”

As police continue to investigate, city and community leaders are urging stronger protections around houses of worship and a resolute response to rising antisemitic agitation.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a stark warning about the intentions of radical Islamic ideologies during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday night. Speaking plainly about the threat landscape facing the United States and the broader Western world, Rubio said the danger remains far greater than many realize.

Rubio explained that extremist movements across the globe share a unified view of America as their ultimate adversary. “All radical Islamic movements in the world identify the West writ large but the United States in particular as the greatest evil on the Earth,” he told Hannity, emphasizing that these groups have long rejected the idea of remaining confined to any one region. “And every chance they have – the notion that somehow radical Islam would be comfortable with simply controlling some province in Iraq or Syria is just not borne out by history. Radical Islam has shown that their desire is not simply to occupy one part of the world and be happy with their own little caliphate; they want to expand. It’s revolutionary in its nature. It seeks to expand and control more territories and more people.”

He continued by underscoring that the ambitions of these groups are not theoretical. “Radical Islam has designs, openly, on the West – on the United States, on Europe….And they are prepared to conduct acts of terrorism – in the case of Iran, nation-state actions, assassinations, murders, you name it. Whatever it takes for them to gain their influence and ultimately their domination of different cultures and societies.”

Rubio described this ideology as not merely a distant concern, but a looming danger directly targeting American interests worldwide and within the country itself. “That’s a clear and imminent threat to the world and to the broader West, but especially to the United States….They hate Israel. But they also hate America, and they hate anywhere in the world that we have influence; they seek to attack it, including here in the homeland. If you look at the attacks that have happened here domestically, the overwhelming majority of them have been inspired by radical Islamic viewpoints.”

The Secretary of State’s comments come as U.S. officials continue to assess ongoing threats from extremist networks abroad and their supporters at home, with Rubio asserting that vigilance must remain high as these groups continue to seek opportunities to strike.

{Matzav.com}

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the Trump administration has reduced work-permit validity for migrants seeking asylum or humanitarian protections from five years to 18 months. • Officials say the shorter term allows for more frequent re-vetting, per USCIS Director Joe Edlow. • The move reverses a Biden-era policy and expands the administration’s efforts […]

Prime Minister Netanyahu released a video addressing his ongoing corruption trial.

DAN BONGINO: Folks, this is what it’s like to work for a president who tells you, ” Go get the bad guys”

FBI Director Kash Patel: This is a good old-fashioned way of police; getting the job done. When you let good cops be cops, this is what happens.

Attorney General Pam Bondi: The person who planted two live pipe bombs outside the RNC and DNC headquarters on January 5, 2021 has finally been arrested after four years of total inaction.

According to a report by i24NEWS today Iran Tried to Use Thai Hostages to Pressure Israel • Hamas and other terror groups kidnapped 31 Thai citizens on October 7. • Thailand turned to Iran to help secure their release. • Iran agreed, but demanded Thailand order all 30,000 Thai workers in Israel to return home. […]

CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten breaks down public sentiment on the US labor market.