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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani escalated his attacks on federal immigration enforcement Sunday, comparing the appearance of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer involved in a Bronx shooting to that of a “mass shooter” and accusing ICE of terrorizing New Yorkers.

The mayor’s remarks came days after federal immigration officers shot and wounded Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old Dominican national, during an attempted arrest in the Bronx. The incident has triggered a confrontation between City Hall and the Trump administration over the conduct of federal immigration agents and the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

The confrontation began Thursday when ICE officers attempted to apprehend Belgal while he was inside his vehicle. Federal agents positioned their vehicles to prevent him from driving away, but the encounter escalated into a shooting.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Belgal ignored lawful instructions to get out of his vehicle and attempted to escape by accelerating into two government vehicles before driving toward additional officers.

DHS maintains that the officers discharged their weapons because they believed Belgal’s actions posed an immediate threat to their safety and the safety of others. Belgal sustained what federal officials described as a superficial wound to his neck.

Following the shooting, agents took Belgal into custody, provided medical assistance, and arranged for his transportation to a hospital.

Authorities subsequently disclosed that Belgal’s 5-year-old son had been sitting in the back seat of the vehicle during the confrontation. DHS said the officers did not know the child was inside when the shooting occurred.

After receiving medical treatment, Belgal was moved to an immigration detention facility outside New York City. Investigators are continuing to examine the events leading up to the use of deadly force.

In an interview with MS Now on Sunday, Mamdani accused federal immigration officers of disregarding established law enforcement procedures and operating without appropriate accountability.

“What they have shown time and again is that they view the law as a suggestion,” Mamdani told MS Now. “There is a reason why the NYPD would not be shooting at a moving vehicle. There is a reason why law enforcement agents are supposed to wear identifiable information and uniforms.

“What you could see in that video and in the videos that have been released since is people, bystanders outside unsure as to what they were even seeing. Because in that imagery, it feels as if you’re almost looking at a mass shooter as opposed to seeing someone who’s purportedly representing a federal agency. And that is why so many are so deeply concerned by what ICE does. And the fact that what we’re talking about is but a microcosm of what they do across this country every single day.”

The mayor’s comparison followed an unusually lengthy round of discussions with President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin concerning Belgal’s detention and the possibility of transferring him out of federal custody.

Mamdani spent nearly two hours Thursday engaged in conversations with the president and the homeland security secretary in an effort to secure Belgal’s release from federal detention.

According to CNN, the negotiations included a three-way discussion during which Trump and Mullin proposed transferring Belgal into the custody of the New York Police Department. The parties ultimately failed to reach an agreement, and Belgal remained in federal custody.

Immediately after the shooting, Mamdani publicly condemned the federal operation, describing it as “unconscionable and incredibly serious” and demanding that President Trump halt ICE enforcement activities in New York City.

He also renewed his longstanding demand to abolish the agency, arguing that its officers’ tactics have frightened residents and undermined public safety.

“The city is still dealing with having been terrorized by a rogue federal agency,” Mamdani told MS Now. “And again, just to the points that you laid out, we are talking about a federal agency that shot at a moving vehicle in broad daylight while its agents were wearing construction vests, using long guns and left New Yorkers in terror. That is, as you said, the same experience that so many have had anywhere across this country whenever it comes to ICE.”

The Department of Homeland Security has strongly defended its officers, maintaining that Belgal was a criminal suspect whose actions during the attempted arrest created a dangerous situation.

Federal officials said Belgal was convicted of fourth-degree grand larceny in April 2025 and sentenced to five years of probation. DHS also cited previous arrests involving allegations of robbery, drug offenses, and assault.

The department further alleged that Belgal has connections to the Trinitarios gang and had been investigated in connection with the shooting of a Customs and Border Protection officer. Those allegations were presented by federal authorities as part of their explanation for why Belgal had been targeted for arrest.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin responded Friday by accusing politicians who support sanctuary-city policies of creating conditions that allow criminals to remain in communities and place law enforcement personnel at risk.

“Sanctuary politicians create an environment for criminal activity to thrive, not for American citizens to be safe,” Mullin said Friday. “President Trump made it clear that he would restore law and order in our cities and in our states. When you have sanctuary cities and politicians, you endanger the safety of the public.”

Additional reporting has revealed that the shooting took place in Marble Hill, a Manhattan neighborhood adjacent to the Bronx. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said city police were not involved in the federal arrest operation and arrived only after reports of gunfire.

The NYPD subsequently released body-camera footage showing responding officers at the scene and their efforts to get Belgal to a hospital. Other video recordings of the confrontation have also emerged, although the precise sequence of events and whether the officers’ use of force was justified remain disputed.

A federal judge has also temporarily blocked Belgal’s deportation while legal proceedings continue.

Meanwhile, Mamdani has announced plans for a city investigation into the incident, including the conduct of federal agents and their reported use of a commercial parking lot as a staging area.
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A new Israeli election poll released Sunday evening shows the right-wing bloc holding a narrow advantage over parties opposed to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, even as Yashar emerges as the country’s largest individual party.

The survey, conducted by the Kantar Institute and broadcast by Kan News, projects 53 Knesset seats for the right-wing bloc, compared with 50 for the anti-Netanyahu camp. The three-seat advantage leaves the right-wing parties ahead of their political rivals, although neither bloc reaches the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

According to the findings, Yashar would lead the field with 22 seats if elections were held today, while Netanyahu’s Likud would finish second with 20 seats. Beyachad would secure 12 mandates, placing it third.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party would capture nine seats, making it the fourth-largest faction in the Knesset under the poll’s projections.

Four parties would each receive eight seats: the Democrats, United Torah Judaism, the Joint List, and Yisrael Beytenu. Shas would follow with seven seats.

Further down the standings, Religious Zionism-Identity and Ra’am would each receive five mandates. The Reservists-Economic party and Amcha Yisrael would each secure four seats, the minimum required to enter the Knesset under Israel’s electoral threshold.

The latest findings reflect a modest shift toward Netanyahu’s camp compared with the previous Kan survey. The right-wing bloc has gained two seats, rising from 51 to 53, while the principal opposition bloc has slipped from 52 to 50. The Arab parties retain a combined 13 seats.

One significant development is the projected entry of Amcha Yisrael, led by former IDF commander Ofer Winter, into the Knesset. The party had fallen below the electoral threshold in the previous Kan poll but now receives four seats, potentially giving Netanyahu another coalition partner.

The poll also indicates continued strength for Ben Gvir, whose Otzma Yehudit party rises from eight seats in the previous survey to nine. Meanwhile, Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party remains in first place, although its projected representation falls from 23 seats to 22.

Shas MK Yinon Azoulay has called for Jewish schools throughout Israel to employ only Jewish teachers, arguing that Arab educators should teach in Arab schools and that Jewish children should receive their education from teachers who share their religious and cultural heritage.

Speaking Sunday in an interview with Kan Reshet Bet, Azoulay advocated separating the country’s Jewish and Arab educational systems when it comes to hiring teachers. He expressed concern that non-Jewish educators working in Jewish classrooms could expose children to religious beliefs and ideological perspectives inconsistent with Jewish values.

When questioned about his objections to Arab teachers instructing Jewish students, the Shas lawmaker pointed to what he described as the danger of educators using their positions to advance personal ideological agendas.

He drew a comparison to university professors whom he accused of promoting their own political and ideological views in the classroom. Azoulay argued that similar concerns could arise in elementary and secondary schools, suggesting that Christian educators might present Christianity according to their beliefs, while Muslim Arab teachers might introduce students to Islamic teachings.

Azoulay maintained that Israel has no shortage of capable Jewish educators and that the country’s schools should prioritize teachers whose backgrounds correspond to the communities they serve.

“I maintain that Jewish schools have plenty of very good Jewish educators. Arab schools should have Arab teachers, and Jewish schools should have Jewish teachers,” he said. “There is enough heritage to teach, and those who come from that background can teach it. There are enough teachers. What is the problem? We don’t pay these good teachers enough, so they leave for other places.”

His remarks also touched on the difficulties facing Israel’s teaching profession, including salaries that he said are insufficient to retain qualified educators. Rather than relying on non-Jewish teachers to fill positions in Jewish schools, he argued, the government should address the conditions driving Jewish teachers to seek employment elsewhere.

The interviewer also challenged Azoulay with a comparison involving Jewish teachers in Europe, asking how he would react if a European parliamentarian demanded that Jewish educators be excluded from schools.

Azoulay rejected the analogy, insisting that Israel’s identity as a Jewish state makes the situation fundamentally different.

“That doesn’t happen, and it isn’t the case. When it happens there, ask me. We are here in our Jewish state. We have a problem with non-Jewish teachers coming to teach our children. It shouldn’t happen.”

The controversy comes amid a broader debate in Israel over the growing number of Arab educators employed in Hebrew-language schools. Figures presented to a Knesset Education Committee hearing in February 2026 indicated that nearly 4,000 Arab women were employed as teachers in the Hebrew education system during the preceding year.

According to data presented at that hearing, the number and proportion of Arab teachers in Hebrew education had doubled over the previous five years, making the issue an increasingly significant subject of discussion among lawmakers and education officials.

Israel’s Jewish and Arab school systems already operate largely as separate educational frameworks, although Arab teachers are employed in Jewish schools, including in subjects such as mathematics, English, science, and Arabic.

Azoulay denied that his position was motivated by racism. He maintained that his concern was preserving the religious and cultural identity of Jewish students by ensuring that those responsible for educating them had themselves been raised with the traditions they were expected to transmit.

Israel has blocked a German journalist from becoming a permanent correspondent in the country after determining that her published calls for economic and military sanctions against Israel fall under legislation permitting authorities to deny entry to individuals who advocate boycotts of the Jewish state.

The decision affects Serena Bilanceri, a 43-year-old German journalist of Italian background who had sought authorization to work in Israel as the permanent correspondent for the German newspaper Die Tageszeitung, commonly known as taz.

The Population and Immigration Authority approved a recommendation from Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism to refuse her entry, effectively preventing her from assuming the position.

Bilanceri had approached the Government Press Office to secure the recommendation required for an Israeli work visa. However, her application came under scrutiny after officials reviewed articles she had written advocating punitive international measures against Israel.

Avi Cohen Scali, director general of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, recommended rejecting her entry request under Amendment 40 to Israel’s Entry into Israel Law, which addresses entry by foreign nationals involved in promoting boycotts against Israel.

Immigration authorities subsequently adopted the ministry’s recommendation, leaving Bilanceri unable to obtain the authorization necessary to serve as the newspaper’s Israel-based correspondent.

Bilanceri has reported on the Israeli-Arab conflict from several countries in the region, including Jordan, Syria, and Israel. According to the ministry, two opinion pieces she published during 2025 provided the basis for the decision.

The first, published by taz on November 17, 2025, carried the title “Sanctions Against Israel.” In that article, Bilanceri endorsed Amnesty International’s description of Israel as an “apartheid state” and urged Western governments to impose economic and military penalties.

“Settler violence is not an isolated incident, but part of a radical strategy of expulsion. The pressure must come from the international community. The United States, as well as Germany and Europe, must impose economic and military sanctions,” she wrote.

Israeli officials cited the article as an explicit appeal for international action against the country, rather than simply an expression of criticism regarding government policy.

A second article, dated September 1, 2025, criticized the German government’s resistance to a European Commission initiative proposing sanctions against Israel over the Gaza war.

In that piece, Bilanceri urged European governments to act collectively and indicated that initial sanctions should be followed by additional measures if they failed to achieve the desired results.

“The European Union must now act together,” she wrote.

She continued by calling for a stronger European response and the implementation of measures already under consideration.

“Europe must now take a firm stand. And if this step proves ineffective, further sanctions must be imposed. Proposals for such measures already exist, including at the European level. All that is needed is the willingness to implement them.”

The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs concluded that these published statements constituted advocacy for sanctions of the kind covered by Israel’s entry restrictions. Officials therefore determined that her application should be denied under the relevant provisions of the law.

Israel’s restrictions on foreign boycott advocates date back to March 2017, when the Knesset approved legislation authorizing the denial of visas and residency permits to noncitizens who publicly call for boycotts against Israel or act on behalf of organizations promoting such campaigns.

The legislation was subsequently expanded in February 2025 through Amendment 40, which added further grounds for refusing entry, including public denial of the Holocaust or the October 7 massacre and support for international prosecution of Israeli security personnel over actions performed in the course of their duties.

The law also permits the interior minister to authorize exceptions under special circumstances, although no such exception was reported in Bilanceri’s case.

The restrictions have generated debate over the distinction between legitimate criticism of Israeli government policy and organized efforts to impose economic or diplomatic penalties on the country. Supporters argue that Israel has the right to deny entry to foreign nationals who actively campaign for measures against it, while civil liberties organizations have criticized the legislation as a restriction on freedom of expression.

In announcing the decision involving Bilanceri, Cohen Scali delivered a forceful warning to foreign journalists and activists who advocate punitive measures against Israel.

“Anti-Israel elements and those who defame Israel should not set foot in the country.”

He further argued that journalists should not use their professional credentials to advance campaigns intended to damage Israel.

“We will not tolerate calls to boycott Israel under the guise of professional journalism. Professional journalism should not take sides in the conflict it covers, and certainly should not exploit the country’s platforms to advance agendas that harm it.”

The ruling leaves Bilanceri without the Israeli work visa she sought for her permanent posting with taz. There was no indication in the initial announcement that the newspaper had selected a replacement correspondent or that Bilanceri had filed an appeal against the decision.

The left-wing Israeli newspaper Haaretz has launched a blistering attack on Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir over the treatment of Palestinian security prisoners, accusing Israel of operating what it described as torture facilities and invoking the imprisonment of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann to condemn the government’s policies.

In an editorial published Sunday, Haaretz accused Ben Gvir and the Israel Prison Service of imposing increasingly harsh conditions on Palestinian detainees since the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023. The newspaper alleged that prisoners have been subjected to inadequate food, physical mistreatment, and degrading treatment by prison personnel.

The editorial’s criticism centered on the case of Hiba Alawi, a 38-year-old Palestinian mother of five from Yehuda and Shomron, whose experience in Israeli custody was presented as an example of the conditions the newspaper was denouncing.

Describing the circumstances of her incarceration, Haaretz wrote:

“She was convicted of two attempts to enter Israel illegally after trying to provide for her children. She was held in Damon Prison for five and a half months.”

The newspaper claimed that Alawi received extremely limited food portions throughout her imprisonment, alleging that the meals provided by prison authorities were insufficient and, on some occasions, unfit to eat.

“Throughout her imprisonment, Alawi suffered from hunger. On most days of her incarceration, the daily food provided to her by the Israel Prison Service consisted of six slices of bread for the entire day, sometimes wet bread and sometimes stale; breakfast consisted of one tablespoon of white cheese and a quarter tablespoon of jam; lunch consisted of two tablespoons of lentils, two tablespoons of chickpeas, and two tablespoons of partially cooked rice; and for dinner she was given one tablespoon of tahini, one tablespoon of hummus, and a hard-boiled egg, which she usually threw away because of its foul smell.”

Haaretz also leveled allegations of physical abuse against prison guards, claiming that Alawi had experienced repeated violence, painful restraints, and humiliating searches during her five-and-a-half-month detention.

The editorial presented a lengthy account of the alleged mistreatment:

“In addition to being starved, Alawi suffered severe, arbitrary violence and humiliation at the hands of Israel Prison Service guards. Guards painfully shackled her, beat her, pulled her hair, and dragged her. One guard stepped on her fingers, causing a fingernail to be torn off. Guards threw tear gas and stun grenades near her, shocked her with a Taser, sprayed her with pepper spray, broke her teeth, and female guards subjected her and other prisoners to humiliating strip searches. Like other prisoners, she also suffered from scabies.”

These allegations were presented by Haaretz as evidence of a broader deterioration in the treatment of Palestinian prisoners. The account provided in the editorial did not establish that the individual allegations had been independently verified, and no response from the Israel Prison Service was included in the report.

In one of its harshest passages, the newspaper accused Ben Gvir of overseeing a prison system that had abandoned acceptable standards of treatment. It also drew a comparison to Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi official responsible for organizing the deportation of millions of Jews to extermination camps, who was captured by Israel, tried in Yerushalayim, and executed in 1962.

“Since October 7, Israel’s security prisons have become torture facilities. When Israel abducted the Nazi monster Adolf Eichmann, no one even considered starving or beating him in prison. But under Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, led in this matter by the Kahanist minister Itamar Ben Gvir, there is no red line that has not been crossed.”

The attack comes amid a continuing political and legal battle over Ben Gvir’s overhaul of conditions for security prisoners, a policy he has repeatedly defended as necessary to eliminate privileges previously enjoyed by convicted terrorists and strengthen deterrence against future attacks.

Since taking office, Ben Gvir has promoted sweeping changes in Israeli prisons, including restrictions on canteen purchases, reductions in shower and exercise time, changes to prison menus, and the elimination of certain privileges previously available to security inmates.

Israeli security officials have previously reported that the tougher conditions have contributed to deterring potential terrorists, alongside intensified counterterrorism operations in Yehuda and Shomron. According to those assessments, the prospect of imprisonment under the new policies has become an additional consideration for individuals contemplating attacks.

Ben Gvir has repeatedly maintained that terrorists should receive only the minimum conditions required by law, arguing that Israeli prisons must cease offering privileges that could make incarceration less of a deterrent.

The issue has also generated controversy over access by the International Committee of the Red Cross to security prisoners. In June, Israel’s Supreme Court ordered the resumption of such visits, but subsequent restrictions imposed by the Israel Prison Service prompted further objections from civil rights advocates.

Under procedures introduced by prison authorities, visits were subject to advance authorization, intelligence screening, and limitations on the categories of prisoners who could receive them. Critics argued that the restrictions undermined the court’s ruling, while prison officials maintained that security considerations required strict oversight.

The latest Haaretz editorial followed a major security operation conducted at five Israeli prisons on October 7, the third anniversary of the Hamas massacre. The operation began at 6:29 a.m., the precise time the terrorist invasion began in 2023.

Prison officers, including personnel from specialized units, searched security wings and cells for prohibited items and potential threats. The Israel Prison Service said the operation was part of its continuing effort to maintain order and prevent security incidents inside correctional facilities.

Against that backdrop, Haaretz concluded its editorial by accusing Ben Gvir of turning the treatment of Palestinian prisoners into a central political issue and faulting senior prison officials for implementing his policies.

“Indeed, the cruelty of the Israel Prison Service is at the center of Ben Gvir’s election campaign, with the disgraceful cooperation of the Prison Service’s leadership.”

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Rav Dovid Ben Pinchas, a longtime Torah educator who suffered the devastating loss of his daughter in a traffic accident and later lost his son in battle against Hamas in Gaza, has spoken movingly about the enduring pain of losing two children, the extraordinary courage displayed by his son, and the emunah that has sustained his family through unimaginable tragedy.

In an emotional interview with Arutz Sheva, Rav Ben Pinchas, who heads the bais medrash at the Bat Yam Yeshiva, described how his family’s suffering has become a permanent part of their lives, even as they continue to find strength in their connection to Hashem and Klal Yisroel.

His daughter, Efrat, was killed in a road accident just five months after her wedding. Years later, his son Avraham, an IDF tank officer who had devoted himself to both Torah learning and defending the Jewish people, was killed during combat operations in Rafah.

Reflecting on the support that has helped his family endure these tragedies, Rav Ben Pinchas emphasized the importance of recognizing that even the most overwhelming suffering need not be faced alone.

“If you are alone, you will not hold up,” he says. “Only when you feel that all of Israel is with you, and of course that the Almighty is with you, can you begin to open your eyes.”

He explained that the posuk describing the Jewish people as children of Hashem assumes an especially profound meaning when a person experiences terrible loss.

“The most natural feeling when disaster strikes is that you are no longer a child, that the Almighty has forgotten you. Yet it is precisely at such a moment that the Torah commands a person to feel that he is a child of God.”

The rav stressed that maintaining emunah does not mean that grief disappears or that the passage of time necessarily makes the pain easier to bear.

“You think that after a year or two you will finally be able to lift your head, but that is not how it works. Suddenly, something takes you back to the events and the moments.”

The memories, he explained, remain present even as life continues, and moments of sadness can return without warning.

“We will always carry it with us, always remember, and it will always be difficult. But that has absolutely nothing to do with the question of faith.”

Avraham Ben Pinchas served as an officer in the IDF’s 46th Armored Battalion after spending years immersed in Torah learning at Yeshivat Ro’eh Yisrael. According to his father, Avraham regarded his responsibilities as a soldier and his dedication to Torah as expressions of the same lifelong commitment to serving Hashem.

“Serving God in the army and serving God in the yeshiva were two aspects of the same thing,” he says.

That outlook was so central to Avraham’s identity that his family chose to commemorate it on his matzeivah, describing his service to Hashem “through Torah and through war.”

Those who served under Avraham encountered a commander who combined determination on the battlefield with unusual sensitivity toward the soldiers entrusted to his care.

One particularly difficult episode came when his close friend, Itai Fogel, was killed in combat. Despite the personal devastation, Avraham understood that his soldiers were looking to him for direction and reassurance.

“His best friend had been killed, and he had to hold everything together,” the rabbi recalls.

Avraham himself narrowly escaped death months before he was ultimately killed.

During a combat operation, an anti-tank missile struck his tank, leaving him seriously wounded. A piece of shrapnel entered his head but stopped short of penetrating his brain.

He underwent surgery and recovered sufficiently to insist on returning to active combat duty.

Only after his death did his family discover that he had continued experiencing headaches following the injury, suffering he had chosen not to disclose to them.

His bravery was also evident during a Hamas ambush in which another soldier was wounded.

Without hesitating, Avraham climbed out of his tank carrying two tourniquets and made his way toward the injured soldier, exposing himself to danger in order to administer lifesaving assistance.

His intervention helped save the soldier’s life.

Afterward, Avraham used the incident as an opportunity to strengthen his soldiers’ confidence, explaining that their actions during the emergency had been appropriate despite the extraordinary pressure they had faced.

His father recalled another practice that reflected Avraham’s approach to leadership.

Avraham had made a personal commitment to tell at least one soldier each week that the soldier had been correct about something. He wanted the men under his command to feel comfortable expressing their opinions, questioning decisions, and pointing out mistakes.

Rav Ben Pinchas said the idea made such an impression on him that he subsequently incorporated the same principle into his own work in chinuch.

The family’s ordeal deepened on Shabbos, December 7, 2024, when Avraham was killed during fighting in Rafah. He was 24 years old and served as a platoon commander in the 401st Armored Brigade’s 46th Battalion. His tank was struck by Hamas anti-tank fire during an operation in southern Gaza.

Avraham had spoken with his family on Friday, informing them that he was about to participate in an offensive operation and expected to contact them again after Shabbos.

It would be their final conversation.

When military representatives arrived at the Ben Pinchas home in Haresha on Shabbos afternoon, Rav Ben Pinchas and his wife understood that something terrible had happened.

They asked the representatives to return after Shabbos and continued observing the holy day together with their children, who had not yet been informed of their brother’s death.

Following the tragedy, the family began working to preserve Avraham’s legacy through the publication of booklets containing his Torah teachings, personal recollections, and accounts of his character. A Sefer Torah was also dedicated in his memory.

“Our main effort to preserve his memory is through education – preserving the spirit, the character traits and the personality we need to build,” his father says.

The family’s earlier loss had profoundly influenced Avraham’s own outlook on life.

His older sister, Efrat Brener, was killed in a traffic accident near Yitzhar in 2020, only five months after her marriage. She was 19 years old.

Avraham, approximately a year and a half younger than Efrat, had shared a particularly close relationship with her, and her sudden death left a lasting impression on him.

During his military officers’ training, he wrote about how the loss of his sister, together with his childhood experiences in Haresha, had shaped his understanding of suffering, responsibility, and personal sacrifice.

The Ben Pinchas family had been among the earliest residents of Haresha, a community in the Binyamin region that experienced years of legal disputes and public controversy surrounding its establishment and future.

Growing up in that environment, Avraham developed a strong attachment to Eretz Yisroel and a determination to contribute to the security and future of the Jewish people.

His years in yeshiva reinforced those convictions. His father believes that the combination of Torah learning, family tragedy, and the challenges surrounding his community helped produce the remarkable sense of responsibility that characterized Avraham’s military service.

Additional accounts of Avraham’s life reveal that his commitment to learning extended well beyond the bais medrash. Family members and friends recalled a young man with an unusually broad range of interests, who studied everything from technology and economics to military systems and practical engineering.

After joining the armored corps, he devoted himself to understanding the workings of his tank and its equipment, studying technical manuals that other soldiers rarely opened.

He was equally determined to understand the personalities and needs of the men under his command.

According to accounts shared by those who knew him, Avraham even sought advice from his grandmother, a therapist, to improve his interpersonal skills as an officer. He recognized that technical expertise alone would not make him the kind of commander his soldiers deserved.

His concern for others was remembered particularly vividly by an American soldier who served under him. Despite the language barrier between them, Avraham made a special effort to communicate with the soldier and help him feel comfortable and supported.

Avraham also arranged for the soldier to travel home to visit his family, demonstrating the same personal concern that characterized his leadership throughout his military service.

His family has continued hearing such stories from soldiers who served alongside him, many of whom described his willingness to assume difficult responsibilities and place the welfare of others ahead of his own comfort.

Rav Ben Pinchas, who has spent more than twenty years teaching Torah at the Bat Yam Yeshiva, said his own educational outlook has been shaped by the teachings of his rebbi, Rav Dovid Chai HaKohen.

That approach emphasizes the profound connection between Torah, Klal Yisroel, and Eretz Yisroel, a worldview that Avraham embraced throughout his life.

“There is one great Torah,” he says. “The Land of Israel, the people of Israel and the Torah of God – everything comes together as one.”

For Rav Ben Pinchas, continuing to teach and inspire others has become an important part of carrying forward the values that his son lived by.

Yet he emphasized that the ability to speak about tragedy with conviction and emunah should never be mistaken for an absence of suffering.

“When we speak with strength, it does not mean the pain has disappeared,” he says. “Strength exists in one place, while the pain and the struggle continue every day.”

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{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is publicly urging Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman to leave the Democratic Party and become a Republican, making a direct appeal to the increasingly independent-minded senator as both parties prepare for a closely contested battle over control of the Senate in November’s midterm elections.

Speaking with reporters Saturday at Joint Base Andrews after returning from a campaign rally in Tennessee, Trump suggested that Fetterman would be more comfortable politically as a member of the Republican Party.

“I’d love to see him as a Republican,” Trump told reporters. “He does better as a Republican than he does as a Democrat.”

Trump’s remarks represent one of his clearest public attempts to persuade Fetterman to change his party affiliation. The possibility has attracted growing attention as the Pennsylvania Democrat has repeatedly broken with members of his own party on several high-profile issues, including immigration enforcement and support for Israel.

Fetterman entered the Senate in 2023 after winning a closely watched election in 2022, when he was widely regarded as an emerging Democratic political figure whose unconventional style and blue-collar image appealed to working-class voters.

Since arriving in Washington, however, he has increasingly distanced himself from the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, taking positions that have drawn praise from Republicans and criticism from fellow Democrats.

Despite the speculation surrounding his political future, Fetterman has consistently maintained that he has no intention of joining the GOP.

In a Washington Post opinion piece published in May, he dismissed the idea of changing parties, describing himself as a “terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats.”

His relationship with Democratic colleagues became particularly strained last month after he appeared in a video prepared for a Republican midterm convention, offering praise for Pennsylvania’s other senator, Republican Dave McCormick, while criticizing what he characterized as extremist elements within his own party.

“I’m always going to stand with America,” Fetterman declared in the recording. “I’m always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life.”

The appearance intensified questions about Fetterman’s long-term political future, particularly whether his increasingly public disagreements with Democratic activists could create difficulties if he seeks the party’s nomination for another Senate term.

Trump appeared to allude to those potential political complications during his Saturday remarks, presenting a move to the Republican Party as an alternative for the Pennsylvania senator.

Fetterman’s office did not immediately provide a response to a request for comment regarding Trump’s latest invitation.

The president’s appeal comes at a particularly sensitive moment for Senate Republicans, who are defending their majority in an election increasingly shaped by voter concerns about the economy and the consequences of the war with Iran.

Democrats must gain a net four Senate seats to regain control of the chamber, an objective that remains difficult but has become more plausible as Republicans confront an increasingly challenging political environment.

A shift in party affiliation by Fetterman could have major implications for the balance of power in Washington, particularly if the election produces a closely divided Senate.

At the same time, Democratic gains sufficient to give the party a 51-seat majority could place Fetterman in an influential position within his existing party, potentially reducing any incentive to become a Republican.

Additional reporting has highlighted the extent of Fetterman’s growing independence. Although he has historically sided with Democrats on roughly 90% of Senate votes since taking office, his alignment with the party has reportedly fallen below 81% during the current congressional session.

Trump has also praised Fetterman personally, describing him as a “great guy” with “great common sense,” while suggesting that his political outlook and popularity could make him a valuable addition to the Republican Party.

The Pennsylvania senator has maintained relationships with prominent Republican lawmakers, including McCormick, and has demonstrated a willingness to cooperate with GOP figures even when doing so draws criticism from Democratic activists.

During a public discussion at the Texas Tribune Festival in September, Fetterman also inadvertently referred to himself as a “lifelong Republican,” a slip that attracted additional attention amid the continuing speculation about his political allegiance.

Although party switches are relatively rare in the modern Senate, several previous defections have dramatically altered the chamber’s political balance.

In 2001, Vermont Sen. Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party and became an independent, a decision that transferred control of the Senate to Democrats.

Eight years later, Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter abandoned the GOP and joined the Democrats, helping the party secure a filibuster-proof majority during President Barack Obama’s administration.

Fetterman has not indicated that he is reconsidering his Democratic affiliation, and there has been no announcement of any formal discussions about changing parties.

{Matzav.com}

The fruits and vegetables Americans eat today may contain substantially fewer essential vitamins and minerals than the same foods consumed by their parents and grandparents, according to new research suggesting that decades of modern agricultural practices have quietly diminished the nutritional quality of everyday foods.

A new analysis by researchers at Deep Science Ventures, a science and technology investment organization, found that certain fruits, vegetables and grains contain between 20% and 50% less of several important nutrients than they did approximately 60 years ago.

The findings suggest that consumers may need to eat considerably larger quantities of some foods to obtain the same amounts of minerals such as potassium, magnesium and copper that previous generations received from smaller servings.

Among the foods identified in the research were carrots, apples, peas, wheat, cereals and bread, all staples of diets around the world.

Researchers say the problem stems largely from the way modern agriculture has developed, with farmers and crop scientists concentrating on producing greater quantities of food while giving comparatively little attention to the nutritional content of what they grow.

The result, according to the report, is a food supply that has become extraordinarily efficient at producing calories but has not necessarily maintained the same concentrations of essential nutrients.

“For sixty years we’ve measured food security in calories and tonnes per hectare, and on those measures we’ve done remarkably well. But we’ve been quietly hollowing out what’s inside our food,” said Will Summers, senior associate for climate at Deep Science Ventures.

The findings, reported Thursday by The Independent, raise questions about the nutritional consequences of agricultural advances that have dramatically increased food production and helped feed a growing global population.

Since the 1960s, cereal yields per hectare have increased by approximately 215%, allowing farmers to harvest more than three times as much grain from the same amount of land.

Those advances have contributed to a substantial reduction in undernutrition in developing countries, where the proportion of people experiencing insufficient food consumption has fallen from approximately 35% to 12%, according to figures cited by the researchers.

However, the report argues that agricultural success has come with an overlooked trade-off: some crops have become less concentrated sources of the minerals and vitamins needed to maintain good health.

Scientists refer to part of this phenomenon as the dilution effect.

When crops are bred to grow faster, produce larger harvests or accumulate more carbohydrates, their uptake of minerals does not always increase at the same rate. Consequently, the nutritional concentration of the harvested food may decline even as overall production rises.

The researchers also point to declining soil health as an important concern, arguing that farming practices and the condition of agricultural land can influence how effectively crops obtain nutrients.

Intensive cultivation, changes in soil management and the selection of crop varieties primarily for yield may all contribute to differences in nutritional content.

The problem is particularly troubling because many people already consume diets that provide sufficient calories but inadequate quantities of essential micronutrients.

Worldwide, more than 2 billion people are estimated to experience at least one micronutrient deficiency, according to figures cited in the report.

These deficiencies are not confined to poorer countries. Researchers warn that inadequate intake of nutrients such as zinc, selenium and folate also occurs in wealthier nations, including the United States and Britain.

One particularly striking finding concerns wheat, a fundamental ingredient in bread and numerous other foods.

According to the report, fewer than one-third of bread-wheat varieties introduced since the 1960s meet the researchers’ recommended zinc target.

Zinc plays an important role in immune function, wound healing and maintaining healthy skin and hair. Inadequate zinc intake can interfere with these processes, particularly among people whose diets are already deficient.

The researchers also examined selenium, a mineral needed for normal immune function and thyroid health.

Their analysis suggests that a woman would need to consume approximately four slices of wholemeal bread to obtain just one-third of her recommended daily selenium intake.

Selenium is found in foods including whole grains and Brazil nuts, although the amount present in plant foods can vary considerably depending on growing conditions.

Iron is another major concern. Insufficient iron intake can lead to anemia, fatigue and difficulties with concentration, while inadequate potassium consumption is associated with increased cardiovascular risks.

The report cites research suggesting that low potassium intake may be associated with a substantially greater risk of stroke, a condition that already imposes enormous medical and economic costs.

The findings have taken on added urgency because of the rapid growth in the use of weight-loss medications, including Ozempic and Mounjaro.

These drugs, which are part of a class of medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists or related therapies, can significantly reduce appetite and the amount of food people consume.

Researchers warn that if individuals eat substantially less food while the nutritional concentration of that food is also declining, they may face an increased risk of failing to obtain sufficient vitamins and minerals.

The Deep Science Ventures analysis suggests that the combination of reduced food consumption and declining crop nutrient density could leave approximately 5 million working-age adults in Britain below recommended intake levels for essential nutrients.

That figure represents a projected risk rather than a confirmed count of people who have developed deficiencies.

“As weight-loss drugs mean people eat less, the nutritional quality of every bite starts to matter much more. The good news is that we already have the tools to fix this, in breeding, soil health, markets and policy. What’s been missing is the recognition that this problem is worth measuring and solving at its source,” Summers said.

The new findings add to a growing body of research examining changes in the nutritional composition of food over time.

In a widely cited 2004 study, researchers at the University of Texas examined U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional records for 43 garden crops between 1950 and 1999.

They identified statistically significant declines in six nutrients, including protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin and vitamin C.

The reductions ranged from approximately 6% for protein to 38% for riboflavin, although other nutrients showed no statistically reliable decline.

A separate British study examining food composition records between 1940 and 2019 reported decreases of approximately 50% in iron, 49% in copper and 10% in magnesium across the fruits and vegetables studied.

Scientists have also identified rising atmospheric carbon dioxide as a potential contributor to declining nutritional quality.

Research indicates that elevated carbon dioxide concentrations can stimulate plant growth and carbohydrate production while reducing the concentration of certain minerals and proteins in edible crops.

A large scientific analysis published in 2025 examined thousands of observations involving 43 food crops and found that higher carbon dioxide levels were associated with changes in nutrient concentrations, particularly for zinc, iron and protein.

Nevertheless, researchers caution that the evidence does not mean every fruit or vegetable sold today contains half the nutrients it once did.

Some historical comparisons are complicated by changes in crop varieties, geographic growing locations, laboratory testing methods and the way nutritional data were collected decades ago.

A 2017 scientific review challenged the conclusion that agricultural soil depletion has caused a universal decline in food nutrients, arguing that some reported changes fall within natural variations and that differences in crop varieties and measurement methods can distort historical comparisons.

The research therefore points to significant declines in certain nutrients and foods rather than proving that the entire modern produce supply has lost half its nutritional value.

Scientists studying the issue are increasingly examining ways to improve nutritional quality without sacrificing the productivity needed to feed billions of people.

One approach involves breeding crop varieties specifically selected for higher concentrations of essential minerals and vitamins, rather than focusing almost exclusively on yield, appearance and resistance to pests.

Another involves improving soil health through agricultural practices that preserve organic matter, encourage beneficial soil organisms and support the availability of nutrients to growing plants.

Researchers are also investigating biofortification, a process in which crops are developed or cultivated to contain higher levels of particular nutrients.

Such efforts have already produced varieties of staple crops with increased concentrations of iron, zinc and other micronutrients, particularly for use in regions where deficiencies are widespread.

Sian Ferguson, a trust executive at the Mark Leonard Trust, said the findings demonstrate the importance of restoring and maintaining healthy agricultural soils.

“Healthy soil is the foundation of healthy food. This report shows that rebuilding soil health is one of the few measures that can improve nutrient density, yields and climate resilience all at once, and farmers can do it profitably today.”

{Matzav.com}

Millions of Americans will once again be forced to turn their clocks back an hour next month after a congressional effort to permanently eliminate the twice-yearly time changes stalled in the Senate, despite overwhelming approval in the House of Representatives and strong backing from President Donald Trump.

Daylight saving time is scheduled to end on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2 a.m., when clocks will move backward one hour to 1 a.m., giving Americans an additional hour of sleep while bringing earlier sunsets and darker evenings for the months ahead.

The change will take place despite a major legislative push in Washington to make daylight saving time permanent, which would eliminate the longstanding practice of changing clocks every spring and fall.

In July, the House passed the Sunshine Protection Act by a bipartisan vote of 308 to 117, raising hopes that the United States was finally approaching the end of its twice-annual clock adjustments.

However, the legislation has encountered substantial opposition in the Senate, where lawmakers adjourned without bringing the measure to a vote before the November 3 midterm elections.

With senators not scheduled to return until after Election Day, there is virtually no possibility that the legislation will take effect before this year’s scheduled clock change.

The proposal, introduced in the House by Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida, would establish daylight saving time as the permanent national standard, allowing Americans to retain the additional hour of evening daylight throughout the winter.

Under the legislation, states that already observe standard time year-round would be permitted to continue doing so, while other states would no longer have to adjust their clocks twice annually.

President Trump has become one of the most prominent advocates for the change, repeatedly arguing that the current system is outdated, disruptive and unnecessarily costly.

In a recent Truth Social post, Trump described the practice of changing clocks twice a year as “ridiculous” and said it “costs our country a fortune, is bad for crime, stress on people, sports, and just about everything else you can imagine.”

“People are sick and tired of having to change their Clocks twice a year,” Trump wrote. “This is an issue that Republicans, Democrats, and Independents can unite behind!”

Despite the president’s lobbying, several Republican senators remain opposed to permanent daylight saving time, warning that the change would create serious problems during winter mornings.

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas has emerged as a leading opponent, arguing that maintaining daylight saving time throughout the year would force millions of Americans, particularly schoolchildren, to begin their days in darkness.

Trump publicly criticized Cotton earlier this month and urged Arkansas residents to pressure their senator into supporting the legislation, even sharing what appeared to be Cotton’s personal cellphone number.

Other lawmakers have expressed similar reservations, arguing that the benefits of additional evening sunlight must be weighed against the consequences of significantly later sunrises during the winter.

Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, offered a particularly pessimistic assessment of the bill’s prospects.

“It’s dead as disco,” Kennedy told Reuters.

“My sense is it would have trouble passing … I don’t think the leader is going to bring it up.”

Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, one of the legislation’s leading Senate supporters, has nevertheless expressed confidence that the measure could eventually win approval.

Supporters argue that eliminating seasonal clock changes would provide greater consistency for businesses, families and schools while allowing Americans to enjoy more daylight after work and school.

They contend that brighter evenings could encourage outdoor activities, benefit restaurants and tourism businesses, and potentially reduce certain types of accidents and criminal activity.

Rep. Gus Bilirakis, a Florida Republican who supports the legislation, has argued that permanent daylight saving time would be particularly beneficial to states whose economies depend heavily on tourism.

“In a state like Florida, my home state of Florida, where tourism is a cornerstone of our economy, having more predictable daylight hours is a practical improvement that benefits workers, businesses, and visitors alike,” Bilirakis said during congressional debate in July.

Opponents counter that the legislation would shift daylight away from the early morning hours, creating conditions in which children would wait for school buses and commuters would travel to work before sunrise.

In some northern and western portions of American time zones, permanent daylight saving time could push winter sunrises close to 9 a.m.

“Millions of Americans will wake up during the winter months in complete darkness with the sun not rising until long after people get up and travel to school or work or have to go about their days,” Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania warned.

The debate has also divided health experts. Many sleep researchers support eliminating the twice-yearly clock changes but favor permanent standard time rather than permanent daylight saving time, arguing that morning sunlight is important for regulating the body’s internal clock.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has previously endorsed permanent standard time as the arrangement most closely aligned with natural sleep and wake cycles.

The United States has experimented with permanent daylight saving time before, with controversial results.

During the energy crisis of the 1970s, Congress approved year-round daylight saving time in an effort to reduce energy consumption.

However, public support declined after families complained about children traveling to school in darkness, and Congress reversed the arrangement in 1974.

An earlier attempt to make daylight saving time permanent also advanced in Congress in 2022, when the Senate approved the Sunshine Protection Act without opposition through a unanimous-consent procedure.

That measure ultimately died after the House failed to take it up, illustrating the difficulty of reaching agreement even on an issue that has attracted bipartisan support.

Under current federal law, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

The modern system was standardized under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, although Congress has modified the dates several times over the decades.

The current schedule, established in 2007, places Americans on daylight saving time for approximately eight months each year, with standard time observed during the remaining four months.

Not every part of the United States participates in the seasonal adjustments.

Hawaii and most of Arizona remain on standard time throughout the year, as do Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Navajo Nation, which extends into portions of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, does observe daylight saving time.

Numerous state legislatures have approved or considered measures supporting permanent daylight saving time, but federal law generally prevents states from adopting that arrangement independently without congressional authorization.

States may choose to remain on standard time year-round, but they cannot unilaterally establish permanent daylight saving time under the existing federal system.

For now, the stalled legislation means Americans in most of the country will continue following the familiar schedule.

Clocks will move back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, and daylight saving time is scheduled to return on Sunday, March 14, 2027.

The Sunshine Protection Act remains pending in the Senate, where lawmakers will have another opportunity to consider it after the midterm elections. Whether the measure can overcome opposition from senators concerned about dark winter mornings remains unresolved.

{Matzav.com}

In a powerful declaration during a meeting at his home in Yerushalayim, Rav Moshe Sternbuch sharply criticized the practice of referring to Jews who have returned to Torah observance as baalei teshuvah, insisting that such individuals must be regarded as full and equal members of the Torah community, without any distinction whatsoever.

Rav Sternbuch made the remarks during a visit last week by Rav Yaakov Dovid Nakash, the rov of the Keter Torah community in Mexico, one of the country’s most prominent Torah communities.

The meeting took place at Rav Sternbuch’s residence in the Har Nof neighborhood of Yerushalayim, where the two rabbonim discussed the condition of Jewish communities throughout the world, the continued growth of Torah life, and the remarkable movement of Jews returning to their heritage.

Among the subjects discussed was the ongoing success of kiruv rechokim, both in Eretz Yisroel and in Jewish communities across the globe, including Mexico, where increasing numbers of Jews have been strengthening their connection to Torah and mitzvos.

During the conversation, one of those present used the familiar expression baalei teshuvah to describe Jews who had embraced a Torah-observant lifestyle.

Rav Sternbuch immediately objected to the terminology, explaining that he considers the very designation inappropriate because it creates an artificial distinction between Jews who grew up observant and those who found their way back to Torah later in life.

“In my eyes, there is no such title as ‘baalei teshuvah,’ because by using it, you place them in a separate category. In my eyes, they are equal to everyone else!” Rav Sternbuch declared.

The posek hador continued, making clear that once a Jew has returned to a life of Torah, there is no justification for treating him as belonging to a separate group.

“I don’t want to hear the term ‘baalei teshuvah.’ To me, there is no such designation, because the moment a person returns to Torah, he is exactly like us,” Rav Sternbuch said.

Expanding on his position, Rav Sternbuch explained that even when the expression is used without any negative intention, it can convey the impression that a Jew who became observant later in life remains somehow different from the rest of the community.

“When someone is referred to by the title ‘baal teshuvah,’ it is chutzpah and brazenness, as though he is distant from us, when the truth is that he is completely one of us. The moment you call someone a ‘baal teshuvah,’ you create a division between these people and others, and that is not good,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Nearly one-third of secular Israelis believe that Hashgacha Pratis played a role in the extraordinary rescue of the Flydubai passengers, according to a new survey revealing that belief in Divine Providence extends well beyond Israel’s religious communities.

The poll found that virtually every chareidi respondent attributed the passengers’ survival to Divine Providence, along with 94% of religious Jews and 84% of traditional Jews. Even among Israelis who identify as secular, approximately 32% acknowledged a Divine role in the rescue.

The findings, released Sunday by Arutz Sheva, come in the aftermath of the dramatic attempted hijacking of a Flydubai aircraft traveling from Dubai to Israel, during which passengers and crew intervened to prevent a potentially catastrophic crash.

The survey was conducted by the Mesaker-Rovadim Research Institute as part of the Israel Barometer project, examining how Israelis from different religious backgrounds interpreted the remarkable sequence of events that saved those aboard the aircraft.

Beyond measuring how many people believe Hashem intervened, the researchers uncovered another striking finding: Israelis differed considerably in how they described the relationship between Divine Providence and the courageous actions of the people who saved the plane.

Participants were presented with several possible explanations for the rescue, including two that explicitly recognized Divine Providence and another that attributed the outcome to human intervention and an unusual combination of circumstances.

The two religiously oriented responses were deliberately phrased differently, allowing researchers to examine whether respondents regarded Divine Providence as the primary force behind the rescue or viewed it as one element operating alongside human decisions and actions.

The first formulation described the rescue as “Divine Providence, acting through people and unique circumstances.”

The second characterized it as “A combination of human actions and unique circumstances with Divine Providence.”

Although both explanations recognize Hashem’s involvement, the distinction between them produced substantial differences across Israel’s religious communities.

Among secular Israelis, 21% selected the explanation emphasizing the combination of human efforts, circumstances and Divine Providence. Another 11% chose the formulation placing Divine Providence at the center of the rescue.

Together, those responses accounted for approximately one-third of secular participants, a notable finding given that these respondents do not identify themselves as religious.

Traditional Israelis expressed considerably greater belief in Divine intervention, with 84% selecting one of the two responses recognizing Divine Providence.

Within that group, 50% preferred the explanation emphasizing the combination of human actions and Divine Providence, while 34% selected the formulation describing Hashem’s Providence as operating through the people and circumstances involved.

A similar pattern emerged among respondents identifying with the more liberal religious community. In that category, 53% favored the combined explanation, compared with 32% who placed Divine Providence at the forefront.

Among more traditionally observant religious Israelis, however, the balance began to shift.

In the mainstream religious category, 51% chose the explanation emphasizing Divine Providence working through people and circumstances, while 44% preferred the formulation describing the rescue as a combination of human efforts and Divine intervention.

The difference became considerably more pronounced among Torah-oriented religious respondents, 75% of whom selected the explanation placing Divine Providence at the center. The remaining 25% preferred the alternative formulation, which gave greater prominence to the combination of human actions and circumstances.

The strongest preference emerged among chareidi respondents.

An overwhelming 93% of chareidim selected the explanation describing the rescue as Divine Providence operating through human actions and unusual circumstances. Only approximately 7% preferred the wording that presented Divine Providence alongside human intervention.

Taken together, the results indicate that all chareidi respondents recognized Hashgacha Pratis in the rescue, although they differed slightly in how they expressed that belief.

The survey also found that the same patterns appeared among men and women, suggesting that the differences were associated primarily with religious identification rather than gender.

Across both male and female respondents, the proportion attributing the rescue to Divine Providence increased consistently from secular Israelis through traditional and religious communities to the chareidi population.

The preference for particular wording also remained consistent. Secular and traditional respondents generally favored an explanation highlighting human actions together with Divine Providence, while more observant groups increasingly preferred language identifying Hashem’s Providence as the central force behind the outcome.

The difference is significant because both explanations recognize Divine Providence. What separates them is the emphasis placed on the actions of the people involved.

The first presents the rescue as an expression of Hashgacha Pratis, with the passengers, pilots and unusual circumstances serving as the means through which Hashem brought about their salvation.

The second gives more prominence to the courage and decisions of those aboard, while still acknowledging Divine involvement in the outcome.

{Matzav.com}

Israel has permitted Qatar to channel more than $100 million in humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip throughout the war against Hamas, including extensive fuel shipments and reconstruction initiatives involving institutions affiliated with the terrorist organization, according to information released by Qatari authorities.

The figures, published Sunday by Yisroel Hayom, reveal the scale of Doha’s continuing financial involvement in Gaza even as Israel has sought to dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities and prevent the organization from rebuilding its infrastructure.

Qatar, which has maintained longstanding ties with Hamas and played a central role in negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages, continued financing a wide range of activities inside Gaza during the fighting and subsequent ceasefire arrangements. The assistance included fuel deliveries, food supplies, medical equipment, water infrastructure and projects to remove debris from damaged neighborhoods.

The arrangements have raised concerns about whether Hamas has benefited from assistance intended for Gaza’s civilian population, particularly when projects are conducted through local bodies connected to the terrorist organization.

According to the Qatari figures, approximately 30 million liters of fuel were delivered to Gaza between the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, and the end of March 2026. An additional shipment of more than 1.3 million liters entered the territory by truck in September.

The fuel deliveries were coordinated through an arrangement between Qatar and the United Nations, with the stated purpose of maintaining essential services, including hospitals, humanitarian organizations and critical civilian infrastructure.

However, the substantial volume of fuel entering Gaza has prompted questions about whether Hamas could have obtained access to some of those resources or benefited indirectly from their distribution.

Fuel has been a particularly sensitive issue throughout the conflict because of its importance to civilian services as well as its potential use in transportation, generators and other activities that could support Hamas’s operations.

Israeli concerns extend beyond the fuel shipments to Qatar’s involvement in reconstruction and infrastructure projects carried out with organizations associated with Hamas.

During the summer, Qatar reportedly organized an initiative to remove rubble from hundreds of damaged residential buildings across Gaza. The work was undertaken in cooperation with institutions linked to Hamas, despite Israel’s declared objective of preventing the terrorist organization from reestablishing its governing capabilities.

Another Qatari-funded initiative involved drilling and maintenance work at more than 30 water wells, intended to restore access to water in areas affected by the fighting.

In February 2026, Doha announced an additional project to clear debris from roads throughout the Strip. That initiative was coordinated with local authorities identified as having affiliations with Hamas.

The involvement of such bodies has intensified questions about whether humanitarian projects could help preserve Hamas’s administrative networks, even when the assistance itself is designated for civilian purposes.

The latest revelations also revive longstanding concerns about Qatar’s financial relationship with Gaza’s Hamas-run administration, which predates the current war.

For years before the October 7 massacre, Qatar provided substantial financial assistance to Gaza with Israeli approval, including monthly payments intended to support impoverished families, civil servants and electricity generation.

Under earlier arrangements, Qatari money was delivered through a combination of direct payments, fuel supplies and internationally supervised mechanisms. Israel permitted many of those transfers as part of efforts to maintain stability in Gaza and prevent humanitarian conditions from deteriorating.

However, Israeli officials and security analysts have repeatedly warned that assistance directed toward civilian needs can also strengthen Hamas indirectly by allowing the organization to devote other resources to its military infrastructure.

Previous arrangements demonstrated how complicated that distinction can become. In 2021, Qatar and Egypt discussed a mechanism under which fuel supplied to Gaza would be sold locally, with the proceeds used to pay public-sector salaries, including employees working under the Hamas administration.

The current report raises similar concerns about the relationship between humanitarian assistance and the financial resources available to Hamas, although it does not establish that the entire $100 million was diverted to terrorist activity.

The central question is whether sufficient oversight exists to ensure that Qatari-funded projects benefit civilians without enabling Hamas to retain control over essential services or strengthen its governing institutions.

Despite those concerns, Israel has continued allowing Qatari humanitarian activities in Gaza, including deliveries coordinated through international organizations and infrastructure projects involving local authorities.

The Omani co-pilot accused of attempting to crash a Flydubai passenger aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport began planning the terrorist attack as far back as 2017, according to new information released by prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates, as an official familiar with the country’s leadership indicated that the suspect faces an exceptionally severe punishment.

The suspect, identified as Hammam al-Hamami, allegedly intended to carry out a September 11-style attack by deliberately flying the passenger jet into the terminal at Ben Gurion Airport, potentially killing hundreds of passengers and airport personnel.

A source close to the Emirati government told Israel’s Kan News on Motzoei Shabbos that the authorities intend to treat the attempted attack with the utmost seriousness.

“The punishment imposed on him will not be minor, but extremely significant,” the source said.

The warning came as the UAE’s attorney general issued a third public update on the investigation, revealing new details about the suspect’s preparations and the security failures that allowed him to continue working as a commercial airline pilot.

According to prosecutors, al-Hamami told investigators that he first began developing his plans in 2017, when he was living in Australia. The disclosure indicates that the alleged attack was the culmination of years of planning rather than a spontaneous decision made during the flight.

Investigators also confirmed that the intended target was the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport, with the suspect seeking to replicate the devastation of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States.

The investigation found that al-Hamami had previously operated two flights to Israel and allegedly used those assignments to gather information about the flight route and the airport he intended to attack.

Those earlier flights provided him with opportunities to familiarize himself with the approach to Ben Gurion Airport and other operational details that could have assisted in carrying out the attack.

The new findings also shed light on the suspect’s earlier exposure to extremist ideology. UAE prosecutors say al-Hamami became radicalized while studying in Melbourne, Australia, where he attended RMIT University between 2015 and 2017. Investigators believe he consumed extremist propaganda and became increasingly fascinated with the September 11 attacks.

The 29-year-old reportedly underwent physical training, including boxing, as part of his preparations. Australian authorities are now examining his activities and contacts during his time in the country, with the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation participating in the investigation.

The investigation has also raised questions about how the suspect was permitted to serve as a pilot on flights to Israel despite earlier indications of extremist views.

Omani aviation authorities had previously prevented al-Hamami from operating passenger aircraft because of concerns about his radicalization. Reports indicate that he was removed from flying duties at Oman Air and transferred to an administrative position.

Nevertheless, he subsequently obtained employment with Flydubai, joining the airline in January 2026. According to Emirati authorities, he satisfied the company’s required professional qualifications and security screening procedures, which failed to identify the threat he allegedly posed.

The incident has exposed serious questions about the effectiveness of aviation security checks and the sharing of information between airlines and national authorities.

During the September 30 flight from Dubai to Israel, al-Hamami allegedly attacked the Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, with an emergency axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft. The plane entered a dangerous descent before passengers and crew intervened and subdued the attacker.

The aircraft, carrying 174 passengers, was ultimately diverted to Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.

The UAE investigation is examining whether al-Hamami received assistance or instructions from anyone else. During questioning, the suspect reportedly insisted that he acted independently and that no organization or outside individual directed the operation.

Prosecutors have not accepted that claim as the final word on the matter and are continuing to investigate possible accomplices or other connections.

The frequent public announcements from Emirati prosecutors have themselves attracted attention, with officials releasing several detailed updates while the investigation remains underway.

An Emirati source familiar with the thinking of senior government figures, although not speaking in an official capacity, explained to Kan News that the disclosures are intended to demonstrate the country’s commitment to transparency and the rule of law.

“The message from our perspective is that the Emirates operates transparently and that we are a country of justice and law,” the source said.

The investigation has also prompted Israeli authorities to examine how a pilot from Oman, a country that does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Israel, was permitted to operate a flight to Ben Gurion Airport.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has ordered a review of the security arrangements governing foreign airlines flying to Israel, including the procedures used to screen flight crews.

With investigators now tracing the suspect’s alleged terrorist intentions back nearly a decade, attention is increasingly focused on how numerous warning signs went undetected or failed to prevent him from entering the cockpit of an aircraft bound for Israel.

{Matzav.com}

The miraculous rescue of 174 people aboard a Flydubai aircraft that was nearly crashed into Ben Gurion Airport involved at least twelve extraordinary developments, each of which played a crucial role in preventing a catastrophe that could have claimed hundreds of lives.

The attempted attack, which took place during Chol Hamoed Sukkos, ended with the passengers and crew surviving a terrifying plunge of thousands of meters after a member of the flight crew allegedly attempted to bring down the aircraft. The plane was ultimately brought under control and landed safely, despite damage sustained during the ordeal.

The magnitude of the nissim becomes even more apparent in light of the Houthi attack on Riyadh’s airport this Shabbos, which reportedly damaged aircraft and airport facilities and injured numerous people. The destruction demonstrated how devastating an attack on a major airport can be, and how much greater the tragedy at Ben Gurion Airport could have been had the Flydubai terrorist succeeded.

A closer examination of the incident reveals at least twelve distinct moments in which the passengers were spared from disaster, followed by an even broader series of potentially devastating consequences that were avoided.

The first neis involved the timing of the attack itself. Information that emerged this past week indicated that the suspected terrorist had flown a Flydubai aircraft to Israel approximately three months earlier and had already considered crashing that plane. However, an undisclosed personal relationship with another crew member reportedly caused him to abandon the plan and postpone it.

Had he proceeded with the earlier attempt, the circumstances would likely have been considerably different. The Indian pilot who later fought to save the aircraft might not have been aboard, Yaniv Chayun would probably not have been among the passengers, and the replacement pilots who assisted in the rescue might also have been absent. Ben Gurion Airport was also substantially busier during that earlier period, potentially placing many more people in danger.

The second neis was the presence of the Indian pilot, who struggled against the attacker and succeeded in opening the cockpit door, creating an opportunity for others to intervene.

The third involved a young girl and her mother, who heard desperate screams coming from the cockpit and realized that a serious emergency was unfolding. Their awareness helped alert those around them to the danger.

The fourth was the response of four courageous passengers who recognized what was happening and immediately rushed forward to confront the terrorist.

The fifth was their extraordinary success in overpowering an armed attacker with their bare hands while the aircraft was plunging toward the ground. The passengers were fighting for their lives as the plane descended thousands of meters in little more than half a minute, subjecting everyone aboard to tremendous physical forces.

The aircraft reportedly approached the speed of sound during the descent. Aviation experts have described the strain generated by such a maneuver as enormous, with the combination of speed and gravitational forces placing exceptional pressure on the aircraft and its occupants.

The sixth neis was that the aircraft’s structure remained intact. Despite the extreme forces generated by the dive, the fuselage did not crack or begin breaking apart, allowing the plane to remain capable of recovery.

The seventh was Chayun’s previous familiarity with the aircraft’s controls. Having learned how to operate them, he was able to assist in pulling the plane out of its descent and restoring stability.

The eighth was the precise manner in which he handled those controls. A pilot interviewed by The Jerusalem Post explained that pulling back too forcefully during such a steep dive could have caused the aircraft to disintegrate.

“If Yaniv Chayun had pulled the controls sharply upward during the dive, he would have crashed the plane. The aircraft would have broken apart in midair and would not have withstood it,” the pilot explained.

The pilot indicated that Chayun apparently applied pressure gradually, allowing the aircraft to recover without subjecting it to an abrupt and potentially catastrophic change in direction.

“Apparently, he pulled the controls backward in a more gradual and gentle manner. Combined with the aircraft’s characteristics and the autopilot system, this allowed the plane to recover from the dive,” he said.

The ninth neis was the presence of replacement pilots aboard the flight. Their availability provided additional trained personnel at the very moment when experienced assistance was desperately needed.

The tenth was that none of the passengers was killed or suffered life-threatening injuries despite the aircraft’s violent descent. The plane had plunged thousands of meters in approximately half a minute, yet everyone aboard survived.

The eleventh was the terrorist’s failure to destroy the aircraft’s control buttons and systems, something he reportedly intended to do to prevent anyone from regaining control.

The twelfth was the successful landing itself. Part of the aircraft’s rudder had reportedly been damaged during the dive, creating additional difficulties in controlling the plane. Nevertheless, the pilots managed to bring the aircraft down safely on the runway.

Each of these twelve developments played a significant role in the rescue. Had even one unfolded differently, the outcome could have been catastrophic.

But the nissim extended far beyond the survival of the 174 people aboard.

The terrorist’s alleged objective was to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport, potentially killing hundreds of additional people on the ground. Airport employees, passengers awaiting flights, security personnel and others inside the terminal and surrounding facilities could all have been placed in immediate danger.

The consequences of such an attack might also have extended into Israel’s broader security situation.

A successful attack on Ben Gurion Airport could have triggered a major military confrontation with Iran, particularly if evidence emerged linking Tehran to the attempted hijacking. Israeli rescue organizations and emergency personnel would have been occupied with the aftermath of a mass-casualty disaster just as the country potentially faced another round of fighting.

There was also the possibility that hostile forces elsewhere in the region would attempt to exploit the chaos. Terrorist organizations in Gaza, hostile elements in Yehudah and Shomron, or other groups could have viewed the emergency as an opportunity to launch additional attacks while Israel’s security forces were responding to the catastrophe.

The third anniversary of the October 7 massacre, marked just days ago, serves as a painful reminder of the dangers posed by simultaneous attacks and the immense difficulties involved in responding to a national emergency.

A successful aviation attack could also have encouraged other extremists to attempt similar acts against aircraft carrying Israeli passengers, raising the possibility of further threats to civilian aviation.

The political consequences might have been enormous as well.

With Israeli elections approaching, a devastating terrorist attack on the country’s principal airport could have generated widespread public outrage, fierce criticism of the Netanyahu government and demands for accountability over how the attack had been permitted to occur.

The resulting political upheaval might have influenced the election and brought significant changes to Israel’s leadership and security policies. Such possibilities remain hypothetical, but they underscore how far-reaching the consequences of a successful attack could have been.

The rescue also brings to mind another extraordinary chapter in Jewish history: the rescue of Jewish hostages from Entebbe in 1976.

Fifty years ago, during Simchas Torah 5737, the Lubavitcher Rebbe spoke extensively about the rescue operation that had taken place earlier that summer. At the time, some voices in the religious world had questioned whether it was appropriate to celebrate a military rescue carried out by Jews who were not personally observant.

The Rebbe, together with many other leading rabbonim, emphasized that the rescue of Jewish lives was an occasion for tremendous gratitude to the Ribbono Shel Olam. The soldiers who placed themselves in mortal danger to save fellow Jews had performed an extraordinary act of courage and sacrifice.

The Entebbe operation rescued approximately 105 Jewish and Israeli hostages, although it came at a terrible cost. Its commander, Yoni Netanyahu, was killed, along with three hostages. Another Jewish hostage, Dora Bloch, who had been transferred to a hospital, was subsequently murdered by Ugandan forces acting on the orders of dictator Idi Amin. Hy’d.

In the Flydubai rescue, all 174 people aboard survived, and no Jewish passenger suffered a life-threatening injury.

The events also give renewed meaning to the words of Hallel, “Ki gavar aleinu chasdo,” expressing gratitude for the extraordinary kindness of Hashem.

As Klal Yisroel emerged from Sukkos and Simchas Torah, the rescue provided a powerful reminder of the nissim that can unfold within a matter of seconds, when an entire aircraft and the lives of those aboard hang in the balance.

These twelve moments of salvation aboard the Flydubai flight, together with the countless dangers that were prevented, offer abundant reason to thank the Ribbono Shel Olam for His protection of Klal Yisroel.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump suggested Saturday that either the Atlantic Ocean or Pacific Ocean could be renamed the “Trump Ocean” or “Ocean of the Americas,” telling supporters at a campaign rally in Tennessee that he would like to see an ocean and a major American river receive new names before his presidency ends in 2028.

The president made the remarks during a wide-ranging appearance at the F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, where he was campaigning for Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. His comments, delivered in a joking manner and greeted with laughter and applause, followed his administration’s earlier decisions to rename the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Ontario.

“We’ve got the gulf. We’ve got a beautiful lake,” Trump told the crowd, referring to the Gulf of America and Lake America, the names adopted by his administration.

He then suggested that his geographical renaming efforts could extend considerably further, including to one of the world’s largest oceans.

“So we need a river and we need an ocean. So I was thinking either the Atlantic or the Pacific. We call it Trump Ocean, or Ocean of the Americas. Something like that,” Trump said.

The president indicated that he would like to accomplish another major renaming before leaving the White House, although he offered no indication that a formal proposal was being prepared.

“Before I get out, I think we should have an ocean. And we need a great river,” he added.

Trump also made clear that two prominent American rivers would be excluded from consideration.

The Hudson River, which flows through his home state of New York, would retain its name because of the president’s admiration for the English explorer Henry Hudson, after whom the waterway was named.

“I don’t want to change the name of the Hudson River. Henry Hudson, he did a good job sailing up that sucker a long time ago,” Trump remarked.

He similarly ruled out renaming the Mississippi River, explaining that he has considerable affection for Mississippi because of the overwhelming support he received from voters there during his presidential campaigns.

“I’m not changing the name of the Mississippi. I love Mississippi. We won that state by so much,” he said.

The remarks represent the latest installment in Trump’s campaign to place a distinctly American identity on prominent geographical landmarks.

Shortly after returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump ordered the federal government to recognize the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. The change generated international attention and diplomatic objections from Mexico, which continued using the longstanding name.

The decision also produced a dispute between the White House and the Associated Press, which declined to adopt the new designation in all its reporting. The disagreement escalated into a legal battle concerning the news organization’s access to presidential events.

In August, Trump extended his renaming efforts to Lake Ontario, the massive body of water shared by New York and Canada, announcing that it would be known as Lake America. The move came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Ottawa over trade policies and tariffs.

Major digital mapping services subsequently incorporated the administration’s preferred geographical names, although the changes did not require other countries to abandon their established terminology.

Trump has also recently floated the possibility of changing the name of New Mexico to New America, an idea he raised while endorsing a Republican congressional candidate in the state.

Unlike the renaming of certain federally recognized geographical features, changing the name of a state would require additional governmental action. Trump has acknowledged that such a decision would ultimately depend on New Mexico residents and Congress.

Saturday’s remarks about the oceans came during an almost two-hour rally that combined campaign appeals, economic announcements, foreign policy commentary and the president’s trademark improvisational humor.

Musician Kid Rock opened the event, offering a humorous introduction that praised Trump’s leadership while taking a swipe at the news media.

“Literally, President Trump could walk across the Cumberland River, and tomorrow the headline would say President Trump refuses to swim,” the performer joked.

Trump appeared in Tennessee to support Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty and gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn, repeatedly emphasizing the importance of Republican turnout in the upcoming midterm elections.

The president also highlighted major manufacturing investments in Tennessee, including a multibillion-dollar critical-minerals project involving Korea Zinc and a previously announced $275 million General Motors investment in its Spring Hill facility.

He promoted his administration’s efforts to reduce crime in Memphis and discussed the conflict involving Iran, asserting that American military operations had severely weakened Tehran’s naval and air-defense capabilities.

During his discussion of Iran and the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, Trump even floated another possible geographical change, suggesting that the waterway could someday be called the “Trump Strait.”

Despite the various names mentioned during the rally, the president did not announce any executive action concerning the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean or a major American river.

Trump concluded his campaign appeals by urging supporters to approach the November elections as though he were personally on the ballot.

“In this election, I’m asking you to do me a favor. Pretend. Just pretend that I’m running,” Trump told the crowd.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is considering launching American military strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist organization following a devastating attack on Saudi Arabia’s main international airport that killed 12 people, including an American citizen, and wounded more than 300 others.

The president’s warning came as the Houthis threatened additional attacks on civilian aviation facilities, prompting growing concern that the escalating confrontation between Saudi Arabia and the Yemen-based terrorist group could draw the United States into a wider regional conflict.

Speaking with reporters, Trump indicated that Washington was weighing whether to participate in Saudi Arabia’s planned military retaliation following the attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

“We may. We’re going to look at it,” Trump told reporters when asked about joining the attacks against the Houthis.

“We just found out about the recent attack, so we’ll make a decision. We move very quickly,” he said.

Trump separately condemned the airport attack and suggested that the administration was maintaining contact with the Houthis while considering its next steps.

“I think it’s terrible,” Trump added at another point. “The Saudis are good fighters, but I think the attack was a terrible thing. We have communication with the Houthis, and we’ll see what happens. But what they did was very bad.”

The attack was among the deadliest incidents in the latest escalation between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, striking a major civilian transportation hub and causing extensive casualties.

Among the 12 people killed were nationals of the United States, the Palestinian territories, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Sudan and Bangladesh. More than 300 additional people were reported injured.

The airport attack has intensified fears about the vulnerability of civilian aviation facilities as the Houthis increasingly threaten targets beyond Yemen’s borders.

Rather than retreating following the international condemnation, a Houthi spokesman issued an additional warning over the weekend, declaring that airports had become “a theatre of operations for our forces” and urging “everyone to take our warnings seriously.”

The spokesman also accused Saudi Arabia of bearing “responsibility for any failed interceptions,” apparently seeking to blame Riyadh for casualties resulting from attempts to intercept incoming Houthi projectiles.

The threats have heightened concerns that additional airports and civilian facilities in Saudi Arabia could become targets if the fighting continues.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a forceful condemnation of the attack, emphasizing American support for Saudi Arabia and demanding that the Houthis cease their attacks.

“The United States strongly condemns the recent attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by the terrorist Houthis,” Rubio said.

“These reprehensible attacks demonstrate a blatant disregard for innocent civilian life. They must stop now,” Rubio added. “We stand with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its people and extend our condolences to the victims and their families.”

The possibility of American intervention would mark a significant change in Washington’s approach to the Houthis following a ceasefire arrangement reached in May.

Under that understanding, the Houthis agreed to stop attacking vessels in the Red Sea, and the Trump administration subsequently refrained from renewed military operations against the organization.

Trump had appeared reluctant to become entangled in another prolonged Middle Eastern confrontation, particularly as the region continued grappling with the consequences of the war involving Iran and its network of allied terrorist organizations.

The Houthis’ apparent adherence to the maritime ceasefire had been a major consideration in Washington’s decision to avoid direct involvement in the renewed Saudi-Houthi fighting.

However, the killing of an American citizen at Riyadh’s airport, together with the Houthis’ threats of further attacks against civilian targets, has increased pressure on the administration to reconsider that position.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reportedly urged Trump to authorize American military action against the Houthis, seeking assistance similar to the strikes carried out by U.S. forces between March and May.

Saudi Arabia has already begun responding militarily to the airport attack.

According to the Houthis, Saudi aircraft conducted two strikes against Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, which has been under Houthi control for more than a decade.

The Houthi-controlled Health Ministry has also claimed that approximately 91 people have been killed and 168 wounded in Saudi-led coalition attacks over the preceding five weeks. Those figures have not been independently verified.

The repercussions have extended beyond the airport itself. Saudi authorities suspended operations at King Khalid International Airport following the strike, forcing airlines to cancel or divert flights and leaving travelers facing widespread disruption.

The closure was extended Sunday as officials assessed the damage and continued examining the security situation. Saudi aviation authorities reported damage to airport facilities, including passenger terminals and communications equipment.

In a further development Sunday, the Saudi-led coalition reported that another projectile struck a passenger terminal at the Riyadh airport, underscoring the continuing danger despite the suspension of regular flight operations.

The United States has also warned Americans about the deteriorating security situation. The State Department issued an updated travel advisory Saturday urging Americans to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia because of missile and drone threats, armed conflict and terrorism.

The latest violence follows several weeks of escalating hostilities between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen. Saudi Arabia reportedly intercepted a Houthi drone near Mecca last month, an incident that further inflamed tensions.

The Houthis, who receive backing from Iran, seized control of Sanaa in 2014, forcing Yemen’s internationally recognized government from the capital.

Saudi Arabia intervened militarily the following year, leading a coalition intended to restore the Yemeni government. The conflict subsequently developed into a prolonged war, with periods of intense fighting interrupted by fragile ceasefires and negotiations.

Although a United Nations-brokered truce in 2022 reduced large-scale hostilities for a time, the underlying dispute remained unresolved.

The latest confrontation has intensified as the Houthis have expanded their presence along Yemen’s Red Sea coastline and around the strategically important Bab al-Mandab Strait, through which significant international shipping traffic passes.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has fired back at Sen. Elizabeth Warren with a sharply worded letter ridiculing her understanding of financial markets and concluding with a handwritten greeting referencing her past claims of Native American ancestry.

The response, sent yesterday and obtained by FOX Business, followed Warren’s latest demand for information about rising Treasury yields and borrowing costs. Bessent used the exchange to criticize the Massachusetts Democrat’s economic record, accuse her of political grandstanding, and suggest that she needed remedial instruction in finance.

At the bottom of the letter, Bessent added a handwritten message: “Happy Indigenous People’s Day in advance to you and your family,” an unmistakable reference to the controversy surrounding Warren’s previous identification as Native American.

The exchange marks another escalation in the increasingly personal dispute between the Treasury secretary and Warren, who has repeatedly questioned the Trump administration’s economic policies and demanded detailed explanations from the department.

According to the report, Warren has sent Treasury officials more than 100 letters seeking information over the past 21 months. Bessent portrayed the latest correspondence as part of a sustained campaign against the administration rather than a serious attempt to understand developments in the bond market.

“Rather than take my suggestion of studying introductory economics, you have continued your letter-writing crusade and participation in tabloid fodder about the Treasury Department,” he wrote.

The confrontation began with an October 7 letter in which Warren questioned the administration’s response to the rising yield on 10-year Treasury securities, a benchmark that influences borrowing costs throughout the American economy, including mortgage rates and other forms of credit.

Warren sought details about the steps Treasury officials were taking to make borrowing more affordable for ordinary Americans and requested written answers by October 21.

In her correspondence, the senator blamed the administration’s policies for contributing to higher interest rates and argued that the recent increase in government bond yields was the result of avoidable economic decisions.

“The surge in Treasury yields is self-inflicted and follows the Fed’s decision to raise the federal funds rate by a quarter of a percentage point, driven by concerns about inflation.”

Bessent disputed Warren’s account of the economic situation and questioned why she had not expressed similar concerns about government spending and inflation during President Joe Biden’s administration.

“It is difficult to treat your concern as sincere,” Bessent wrote, before accusing Warren of supporting policies that contributed to the inflation and interest-rate increases experienced during the previous administration.

“As the federal funds rate climbed from near zero to its highest level in 22 years, with inflation hitting a 40-year high, you were a cheerleader for the Biden Administration’s reckless spending.”

He further accused Warren of directing criticism toward the Federal Reserve when interest rates rose under Biden, rather than acknowledging what he described as the consequences of “your own irresponsible fiscal policies.”

The Treasury secretary also defended President Trump’s tax legislation, contrasting the administration’s approach with Warren’s support for higher taxes.

“While you voted for a $5 trillion tax hike on every day Americans, the Working Families Tax Cuts continue to deliver for families and workers across the country,” he wrote.

Warren, however, argued that the tax provisions in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill would substantially increase federal borrowing while disproportionately benefiting wealthy Americans and large corporations.

According to her letter, the legislation is projected to add $4.7 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, with benefits flowing primarily to the “ultra-wealthy and large corporations — while cutting health care and food assistance for families. Meanwhile, the Iran war has cost taxpayers an estimated $43.6 billion to date, according to the Pentagon.”

The competing claims reflect a broader disagreement over the effects of the administration’s tax and spending policies. Warren maintains that the legislation will deepen federal deficits and increase financial pressure on working families, while Bessent argues that its tax provisions are supporting workers and economic growth.

Bessent’s response became particularly pointed near its conclusion, when he offered to provide Warren with educational materials on subjects he suggested she had failed to master.

He proposed “a Foreign Exchange for Dummies tutorial,” followed by another lesson if the senator successfully completed the first.

“if you receive a passing grade to the Yale metric, not the Harvard curve, I would be happy to also include a Fixed Income for Dummies.”

The reference to the two Ivy League institutions carried an additional personal element. Warren previously taught law at Harvard University, while Bessent served as an instructor in economic history at Yale.

The Treasury secretary’s closing greeting about Indigenous Peoples’ Day revived a controversy that followed Warren for years, particularly during her presidential campaign.

Warren faced sustained criticism over her earlier claims of Native American heritage, which she said were based on stories passed down through her family. Before entering the Senate, she had identified herself as an “American Indian” or a minority in certain professional records.

President Trump repeatedly mocked those claims, referring to Warren as “Pocahontas,” a nickname that became a recurring feature of his political attacks against her.

In 2018, Warren released the results of a DNA test intended to demonstrate that she had distant Indigenous ancestry. The move prompted objections from tribal representatives, who emphasized that genetic testing does not establish membership in a Native American tribe or determine tribal identity.

Warren subsequently apologized to several tribes for taking the test and acknowledged their objections to her approach.

The dispute over Treasury yields comes amid growing concern about the cost of borrowing in the United States. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield recently climbed above 5.2 percent, reaching levels not seen in more than two decades and contributing to higher financing costs for homeowners, businesses and the federal government.

Warren has also challenged the Treasury Department’s expanded bond-buyback operations, arguing that the administration’s purchases of older government securities have failed to prevent yields from rising. In her October 7 letter, she cited multibillion-dollar buybacks conducted in September and October and questioned whether additional intervention was being considered.

Bessent responded that the buyback program began in May 2024, during the Biden administration, and defended it as a mechanism for improving liquidity in the Treasury market rather than an effort to dictate interest rates. He maintained that the program had received a favorable response from market participants.

The secretary also highlighted tax benefits claimed by millions of Americans under the administration’s legislation, including provisions affecting overtime income, tips, senior citizens and families with children.

The latest confrontation follows earlier public exchanges between Bessent and Warren over the Treasury Department’s handling of foreign exchange markets and the broader direction of economic policy. In August, Bessent had already offered Warren a tutorial on currency markets, an invitation he revived in yesterday’s letter.

Warren has separately promoted a Trumpflation Tracker intended to measure the cumulative effect of rising prices on American households. Bessent challenged the methodology yesterday, accusing the senator of selectively presenting inflation and wage figures to portray the administration’s economic record unfavorably.

The two remain sharply divided over the causes of rising borrowing costs, the effectiveness of Treasury’s market operations and the impact of Trump’s tax policies. Warren has requested a formal response to her latest questions by October 21.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to immediately halt attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure, marking a potentially significant development in the war just two days after his administration unveiled a controversial agreement to purchase large quantities of Russian diesel fuel.

The announcement follows mounting concern in Washington over soaring American diesel prices, which have become a major political issue ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, as well as criticism from Ukrainian officials and members of both American political parties over Trump’s decision to resume fuel purchases from Moscow.

“Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Both parties have agreed. Do not break it! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

The president did not immediately provide details about the agreement’s duration, enforcement mechanisms or whether it would apply to all energy-related facilities in both countries. Independent confirmation of the terms from Moscow and Kyiv was not included in the initial announcement.

The reported agreement comes after months of increasingly destructive attacks against energy installations on both sides of the conflict.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian oil refineries and other petroleum facilities in an effort to weaken Moscow’s ability to finance and sustain its military operations. Those attacks have disrupted refining capacity and placed additional pressure on Russia’s energy industry.

Russia, meanwhile, has continued striking Ukraine’s electricity generation facilities, power distribution networks and other critical infrastructure, causing widespread damage and creating serious difficulties for Ukrainian civilians.

The Trump administration has argued that Ukrainian strikes against Russian refineries have contributed to tightening global diesel supplies, pushing prices higher even in countries that no longer purchase Russian petroleum products directly.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright has maintained that disruptions to Russia’s refining industry can affect international fuel markets and ultimately raise costs for American consumers, regardless of existing restrictions on Russian imports.

According to figures cited by the American Automobile Association, the national average price of diesel has climbed to approximately $6.28 per gallon, placing additional pressure on trucking companies, agricultural businesses and other industries that depend heavily on diesel fuel.

Higher transportation costs can also affect consumer prices because diesel-powered trucks are responsible for moving substantial quantities of food, merchandise and other goods throughout the United States.

With the midterm elections approaching, the administration has faced increasing pressure to demonstrate that it is taking action to address fuel costs and their broader economic consequences.

The ceasefire announcement also follows Trump’s agreement Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin to resume large-scale diesel supplies to the American and international markets, a decision that drew immediate objections from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and criticism from lawmakers in both parties.

Following a telephone conversation with Putin, Trump said Russia would supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel immediately, followed by another 500,000 tons in November and an additional 1 million tons afterward. He also outlined plans for a further 3 million tons to be delivered subsequently, depending on the condition of Russia’s refining facilities.

The Treasury Department subsequently authorized a temporary relaxation of restrictions on Russian diesel transactions, allowing certain imports through April 2027.

The decision represented a significant change in American policy toward Russian energy exports, which have been subject to restrictions since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Zelensky sharply condemned the arrangement, describing it as a “betrayal” and warning that increased Russian energy revenues could provide Moscow with additional resources to continue its military campaign.

The Ukrainian president has maintained that pressure on Russia’s energy industry is an important component of Kyiv’s strategy for weakening Moscow’s ability to sustain the war.

The agreement also provoked questions in Washington about its legality under the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act of 2022, which prohibited imports of Russian petroleum products into the United States.

Critics have argued that the administration may lack the authority to resume purchases without congressional approval, while the Treasury Department has relied on temporary licensing arrangements to facilitate the transactions.

According to reporting on the negotiations, Trump had repeatedly urged Ukraine to suspend attacks on Russian refineries before reaching the diesel arrangement with Putin. A senior American official said Zelensky had disregarded several such requests, contributing to the administration’s decision to pursue an alternative approach.

The diplomatic dispute unfolded as American representatives continued discussions with Ukrainian and European officials in Miami about possible steps toward ending the war.

Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, have also been considering additional meetings in Moscow and Kyiv as part of the administration’s efforts to revive negotiations.

The president previously announced a mutual halt to attacks on energy infrastructure in September, but strikes continued afterward, highlighting the difficulty of translating diplomatic commitments into a lasting cessation of hostilities.

Sunday’s announcement therefore raises immediate questions about whether the latest agreement will succeed where earlier efforts failed.

The distinction between an energy ceasefire and a broader military truce is also significant. Trump’s statement addressed attacks on energy targets and did not announce an end to ground combat, missile strikes against other facilities or military operations along the front lines.

Fighting elsewhere in Ukraine continued over the weekend, including Russian attacks that struck residential areas and caused civilian casualties.

It was not immediately clear whether either side had issued new operational instructions to its military forces following Trump’s announcement, or how alleged violations of the arrangement would be investigated.

For the Trump administration, the agreement offers a potential means of reducing attacks on energy infrastructure while addressing the fuel-price pressures that have become increasingly prominent in American domestic politics.

Whether the ceasefire will hold, however, will depend on the actions of Moscow and Kyiv and on the details of an arrangement that neither government had publicly confirmed when Trump made his announcement.

{Matzav.com}

Former Vice President Mike Pence has sharply condemned President Donald Trump’s agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to ease restrictions on Russian diesel exports, accusing Trump of betraying the legacy of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and providing financial assistance to Moscow while its military continues its war against Ukraine.

In a lengthy statement posted on X, Pence urged Trump to cancel the arrangement immediately and restore tough economic measures against Russia, arguing that the administration’s decision undermines years of American efforts to pressure Putin into ending the conflict.

“President Trump’s decision to lift sanctions on Russian fuel amidst Putin’s ongoing and brutal attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine makes no sense and is a betrayal of the legacy and leadership of the late Senator Lindsey Graham,” Pence wrote in a lengthy X post.

Pence, 67, who served as vice president throughout Trump’s first administration, invoked Graham’s longstanding campaign for tougher sanctions on Moscow. The South Carolina Republican, who died in July, had been among the most outspoken congressional advocates of punishing Russia economically over its invasion of Ukraine.

“Instead of implementing the tough sanctions Lindsey Graham fought to his last breath to enact, President Trump has announced the United States is lifting sanctions on Russian energy, fueling the Putin’s war machine,” Pence added.

Graham had worked on legislation intended to impose sweeping penalties on countries purchasing Russian energy, seeking to deprive Moscow of revenue that could be used to sustain its military operations. His death came shortly after a visit to Ukraine, where he had continued advocating stronger American measures against Russia.

Pence also referred to his own recent trip to Ukraine, saying he had personally observed conditions that convinced him Moscow was failing to achieve its military objectives.

The former vice president said he “saw firsthand in Ukraine last month” that “Putin is losing this war.”

He argued that Washington should maintain economic pressure on Russia rather than allow additional fuel sales that could generate revenue for the Kremlin.

“America should not be throwing a lifeline to Putin’s war machine. Now is the time to stand strong against Russian aggression as we did during the first Trump administration,” he implored.

Pence further warned that Russian ambitions could eventually threaten NATO countries and potentially draw American forces into a direct confrontation with Moscow.

“Putin doesn’t want peace. Putin wants Ukraine. I have no doubt that if Putin overruns Ukraine, it will only be a matter of time until Russia’s military crosses a border that our troops will have to deal with him.”

Calling for a return to the Russia policies pursued during Trump’s first term, Pence said the United States should intensify sanctions on nations buying Russian energy while ensuring that Ukraine receives the weapons and assistance necessary to continue defending itself.

“America is the Leader of the Free World,” he continued. “For our National Security, for the security of our Allies in Europe including Ukraine, President Trump should rescind this deal immediately and return to the strong policies of our four years in the White House; impose harsh sanctions on any nation purchasing Russian energy and work with our allies to ensure Ukraine has the military support it needs to repel and defeat this Russian invasion once and for all.”

The criticism followed Trump’s announcement Friday that he had reached an agreement with Putin to release millions of tons of Russian diesel into international markets, a move intended to address soaring fuel prices in the United States and abroad.

Under the arrangement described by Trump, Russia is expected to make more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel available immediately, followed by another 500,000 tons in November and 1 million tons shortly afterward. The president also said Moscow had committed to providing an additional 3 million tons within a relatively short period, depending on the condition of Russian refineries.

The Treasury Department subsequently announced a temporary authorization allowing Russian diesel to enter international markets despite existing American sanctions. The measure is scheduled to remain in effect until April 2027.

The decision represents a significant change in Washington’s approach to Russian energy exports, which have been targeted by successive sanctions intended to reduce the Kremlin’s ability to finance its military campaign.

Trump has defended the agreement as a practical response to the steep increase in diesel prices, which has placed additional financial pressure on American trucking companies, agricultural operations and businesses dependent on transportation.

Diesel prices have climbed above $6 per gallon nationally, driven in part by disruptions to global energy supplies associated with the war involving Iran. The increase has become a growing political concern for Republicans ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

The president has faced mounting pressure from members of his own party to bring fuel costs under control, particularly because diesel prices affect the cost of transporting food, merchandise and other essential goods throughout the country.

Trump has argued that increasing available supplies would help ease those pressures, although some energy analysts have questioned whether the Russian shipments would be large enough to produce a substantial reduction in American fuel prices.

The agreement has also provoked an angry response from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who warned that allowing Moscow to earn additional revenue from petroleum exports would strengthen Russia’s ability to continue its military campaign.

Zelensky argued that relaxing sanctions without obtaining meaningful concessions from Putin would weaken Western leverage and make a negotiated end to the war more difficult.

The controversy intensified Saturday as Russian attacks struck residential buildings in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, killing at least 20 people, including three children, according to Ukrainian officials.

Trump, meanwhile, has criticized Zelensky’s handling of the conflict and suggested that Ukraine should consider new leadership capable of reaching an agreement with Moscow. The president has also blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure for contributing to disruptions in global diesel supplies.

Pence’s criticism adds to objections raised by lawmakers in both parties. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal has also called for the arrangement to be withdrawn, arguing that it contradicts congressional efforts to restrict Russian energy revenues and dishonors Graham’s work on sanctions legislation.

{Matzav.com}

Israel is unlikely to launch a new offensive against Iran before the November 3 midterm elections in the United States, primarily because President Donald Trump wants to prevent another surge in oil prices ahead of the vote, according to a senior Israeli official.

The assessment, reported by Israel’s Channel 12, comes amid continuing consultations between Yerushalayim and Washington over Iran and the possibility of renewed military action against the Islamic Republic.

According to the senior official, despite ongoing discussions about potential operations, the prevailing assessment in Israel is that a preemptive strike will be postponed until after Americans head to the polls.

The central consideration is the position of the Trump administration. Israeli officials recognize that any major operation against Iran would require close coordination with Washington, particularly given the United States’ leading role in the confrontation with Tehran.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has previously emphasized that the United States is the senior partner in the campaign against Iran. As a result, American political and economic considerations are expected to play a significant role in determining the timing of any renewed military offensive.

Trump is reportedly reluctant to authorize another attack before the November 3 elections because of concerns that renewed fighting could drive up global oil prices, creating additional economic pressure on American consumers just as they prepare to vote.

The American elections are scheduled to take place approximately one week after Israel’s own elections, adding another political consideration to the timing of any potential escalation.

Despite the expectation that military action will be delayed, Israeli and American officials have substantially increased their communications and intelligence exchanges in recent weeks.

The intensified coordination reflects an assessment that Iran’s government is coming under mounting economic pressure and may struggle to withstand the current American strategy over an extended period.

A major component of that pressure is the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which Israeli officials reportedly regard as particularly effective in weakening Tehran’s economy.

According to the assessments cited in the report, restrictions affecting the strategic waterway are accelerating Iran’s economic deterioration and contributing to a sharp increase in the value of the U.S. dollar against the Iranian currency.

The resulting financial instability is placing additional strain on the Iranian government, which is already contending with the broader consequences of American economic and military pressure.

Israeli officials nevertheless caution that the absence of plans for an immediate offensive does not eliminate the possibility of renewed fighting before the American elections.

One scenario under consideration involves Iran initiating a provocation that could trigger an Israeli or American military response, potentially disrupting the current expectation of a temporary pause in offensive operations.

Another assessment suggests that Iranian leaders may themselves prefer to avoid an escalation before Israel’s elections, fearing that an attack during the campaign could strengthen Netanyahu politically.

Under that scenario, Tehran could choose to postpone provocative actions until after Israelis have cast their ballots, although officials acknowledge that Iranian decision-making remains difficult to predict.

Security officials stress that these scenarios are assessments rather than confirmed plans and that developments could change depending on actions taken by Iran or other regional actors.

For now, the prevailing assessment in Israel is that a coordinated American-Israeli offensive against Iran is unlikely in the immediate future, with the November elections serving as a significant factor in Washington’s calculations.

{Matzav.com}