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Ukraine is making a strong effort to revive prisoner exchanges with Russia that could see 1,200 Ukrainian captives return home, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Sunday. His comments came one day after the country’s national security chief reported progress in mediated talks.

“We are … counting on the resumption of POW exchanges,” Zelenskyy wrote on X. “Many meetings, negotiations and calls are currently taking place to ensure this.”

Rustem Umerov, who heads Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, said Saturday that he had held consultations facilitated by Turkey and the United Arab Emirates to renew the stalled process.

According to Umerov, the sides agreed to reactivate prisoner-swap mechanisms arranged in Istanbul that could free 1,200 Ukrainians. Moscow has yet to issue any official response to his statement.

The Istanbul accords, signed in 2022 through Turkish mediation, outlined the framework for organized and large-scale exchanges of prisoners between the two nations. Over the past two years, thousands have been swapped under those agreements, though the operations have frequently stalled amid renewed hostilities.

Umerov noted that technical meetings would soon take place to finalize the logistics and protocols needed for the next exchange. He voiced hope that the freed Ukrainians might “celebrate the New Year and Christmas holidays at home — at the family table and next to their relatives.”

Meanwhile, Ukraine endured another night of Russian drone attacks, which struck energy infrastructure in the Odesa region, according to the State Emergency Service. Among the sites damaged was a solar power facility.

The latest barrage underscores Ukraine’s struggle to defend against constant aerial assaults that have crippled its power grid and triggered widespread blackouts as the winter cold sets in.

These attacks on the energy sector coincide with ongoing fighting in the east, where Russian troops are pushing to seize the key city of Pokrovsk.

Ukraine’s air force reported Sunday that Russia launched 176 drones and one missile overnight, claiming Ukrainian forces managed to shoot down or disable 139 of the drones. Russia’s defense ministry, for its part, said its own forces destroyed 57 Ukrainian drones during the same period.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump confirms primary challenges to any Indiana GOP state senator who caved to Gavin Newsom and refused to redistrict the 2026 House map, potentially forfeiting a pickup of two Republican seats.  

FBI Director Kash Patel: “We are delivering this accountability… they built this weaponization scheme over the course of a decade plus. In these first 8 months that we’ve been there, we’ve already charged individuals thanks to this great Department of Justice, who are at the pinnacle of this weaponization of government.”

Pedestrians in the German city of Nuremberg made way for hundreds of bleating sheep on Sunday as a flock of the animals was herded through downtown on its way to its winter quarters. Curious bystanders, cellphones in hand to capture the sight, lined the streets as the roughly 600 animals in shepherd Thomas Gackstatter’s flock […]

At today’s cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu delivered a pointed rebuke to those airing political and security disputes in public, warning that such behavior undermines national unity and responsible governance. He said that with Israel heading toward elections, political rivals have intensified what he described as a “primary season assault” — an internal and external campaign designed to sow division. Netanyahu emphasized that “security matters discussed in tweets and public statements are determined only in coordination with the Prime Minister,” reminding his colleagues that such issues demand confidentiality and unity of purpose.

Turning to Israel’s ongoing campaign against Hamas, Netanyahu made clear that the terrorist organization’s military capabilities would be completely dismantled. “This territory will be demilitarized and Hamas will be stripped of its weapons. It will happen either the easy way or the hard way. That’s what I’ve said, and that’s what President Trump has said as well,” he declared, underscoring that Israel’s security objectives remain firm and non-negotiable.

Netanyahu also revisited a long-standing pillar of his foreign policy: absolute opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River. “Our opposition to a Palestinian state on any part of this territory has not changed in the slightest,” he said, reiterating that he has maintained this stance consistently for decades despite heavy diplomatic pressure. He added pointedly, “I do not need affirmations, tweets, or lectures from anyone,” making it clear that his convictions on this issue are not swayed by public commentary or political maneuvering.

The prime minister went on to denounce two recent acts of violence that have stirred national outrage. He condemned the assault on MK Yoav Ben Tzur, describing the perpetrators as “a small minority that does not represent the ultra-Orthodox public,” and called on authorities to respond “with full force.” Netanyahu also addressed violence carried out by a fringe group in Judea and Samaria, stressing that their actions “do not represent the settler community” and warning against collective judgment.

Concluding his remarks, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to order and justice, saying simply yet firmly: “We are a state of law, and a state of law acts according to the law.”

{Matzav.com}

WATCH:

Watch as thousands of Chabad Shluchim from around the world gathered this morning at 770 Eastern Parkway for a massive group photo.

PHOTOS:

Photo Credit: Mordechai Lubeki

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu on Sunday emphasized his commitment to disarming the entire Gaza Strip as envisioned in U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for the coastal enclave.

“I want to address two specific issues,” Netanyahu said as he opened the weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday. “The first issue is the supposed ‘non-demilitarization’ of the part of Gaza still in Hamas’s hands. There will be no such thing. Under the 20-point plan, and in everything else, that area will be demilitarized and Hamas will be disarmed. Either this will happen the easy way or it will happen the hard way. I said this, and President Trump also said this,” the premier told journalists.

Netanyahu also reiterated his opposition to establishing a “Palestinian state on any territory west of the Jordan River,” rejecting Friday’s U.S.-backed statement calling for a “pathway” to Palestinian statehood. “I have been pushing back against these attempts for decades, doing so against external pressure as well as internal pressure. So I don’t need encouragement, tweets or lectures from anyone,” Netanyahu added.

Israel’s ceasefire with Hamas came into effect on Oct. 10, with the terror group agreeing to release all hostages, alive and dead, in the first phase, before moving on to the second stage, which requires its disarmament.

The truce agreement was mediated by the United States, Qatar, Egypt and Turkey, although other countries have since joined the post-ceasefire deliberations in the effort to uphold the agreement.

The IDF currently holds about half of Gaza. It is deployed to the east and along the so-called Yellow Line that runs through the north, center and south of the Strip, with Hamas controlling the Strip’s western areas.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Nov. 12 that “eventually, there won’t be a Yellow Line,” as no territory will remain in Hamas’s hands.

“Right now, that Yellow Line is what differentiates between the parts of Gaza under Hamas control and the ones that are not in Hamas control,” he stated. “Eventually, none of it should be under Hamas control. There should be a civilian Palestinian organization that runs Gaza. And that’s the goal, to stand that organization up, give it capacity, allow it to grow in both capability and credibility, and ultimately it will govern Gaza.”

However, Rubio stressed, the International Stabilization Force slated to provide security in Gaza until a Palestinian organization can step up to govern the Strip would not have to initiate operations against Hamas because the Iranian-backed terrorist group has agreed to disarm. JNS

{Matzav.com}

A hateful antisemitic message spray-painted on a Brooklyn sidewalk late Friday has drawn condemnation from New York City officials, including newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose victory earlier this month came amid deep concern from Jewish leaders about rising antisemitism across the city.

The Trump administration says all SNAP recipients will now be required to reapply for benefits following the discovery of widespread fraud.

HAPPENING NOW: The annual “class picture” of Chabad Shluchim is taking place Sunday morning at the annual International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries (Kinus Hashluchim). The photo, taken under the iconic gables of 770 Eastern Parkway, Chabad headquarters in Brooklyn, N.Y., features thousands of black-hatted rabbis and represents not just an annual conference tradition – it […]

A striking sight was witnessed on Motzoei Shabbos at Ben Gurion Airport: the renowned mashpia, Rav Tzvi Meir Zilberberg, was seen wrapped entirely in his tallis, his head lowered in humility, as he departed for the United States on a fundraising mission to complete the construction of his bais medrash in Yerushalayim.

In keeping with his lifelong commitment to kedushah and tzniyus, Rav Zilberberg covered himself in his tallis from the moment he entered the airport terminal until he boarded the plane. His aides, who accompanied him closely, ensured that every detail was arranged in accordance with the highest standards of modesty, shielding him from any improper sights or sounds, including avoiding any encounter with women.

On the aircraft, a special business-class section was reserved entirely for him in advance by his attendants. Every seat surrounding him was purchased to maintain complete privacy and to prevent any immodest exposure. Airline staff were instructed beforehand that only male flight attendants would be permitted to enter his section and attend to his needs.

Throughout the journey, Rav Zilberberg remained enveloped in his tallis, immersed in holiness and focused on his spiritual mission.

The mashpia will remain in the United States through Wednesday as part of a dedicated campaign titled “Kulanu Shutafim” (“We Are All Partners”), aimed at raising funds to complete the construction of his bais medrash in Yerushalayim.

{Matzav.com}

A Chicago federal judge appointed by former President Joe Biden has ruled potentially hundreds of illegal immigrants must be released from federal custody, because the judge determined ICE and Border Patrol under President Donald Trump may have violated a deal struck between the Biden administration and pro-immigrant activists limiting the federal government’s ability to arrest, […]

Yashar party chairman and former defense minister Gadi Eizenkot harshly condemned the violent assault on Shas MK Yoav Ben Tzur, which took place last night outside the Yazdim shul in Yerushalayim following the weekly shiur of the Rishon L’Tzion, Rav Yitzchak Yosef. Dozens of extremists reportedly hurled stones and garbage at Ben Tzur’s car while shouting insults over his involvement in advancing the draft law.

In a statement released Sunday morning, Eizenkot said: “The attack on MK Ben Tzur is a severe expression of the loss of governance and the loss of shame among lawbreakers who are getting encouragement from leaders.”

He called the incident “an event that demands immediate action and the arrest of all the violent draft evaders involved.” Eizenkot added that “this growing phenomenon of detachment from the State of Israel requires a deep, systemic response—beginning with education, enlistment, and citizens’ responsibilities. It must not continue.”

The Shas party also issued a sharp condemnation, saying: “The Shas movement strongly denounces the brutal attack on the vehicle of MK Yoav Ben Tzur, carried out this evening in Jerusalem by a small group of rioters. Acts of violence of this nature, which result in chillul Hashem, are not the way of the Torah and do not represent any God-fearing public.”

According to a police statement, officers from the Lev HaBira station and Border Police units responded quickly to the scene. The rioters had ambushed Ben Tzur near the shul, caused damage to his vehicle, and threw bags of garbage at it. Police evacuated the MK safely, and no injuries were reported.

“The Israel Police views any attempt to harm public officials with the utmost severity and will act decisively to bring all those responsible to justice,” the statement said.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid also condemned the attack, declaring, “I strongly denounce the assault on MK Yoav Ben Tzur. This is not the way of the Torah, and it is not the way of the State of Israel. These violent criminals must be dealt with firmly.”

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds of Iranians gathered Friday at a mosque in northern Tehran to pray for rain as the country faces one of its most extreme droughts in decades — a crisis so severe that officials have warned the capital could face evacuation if winter arrives without significant rainfall. At the Emamzadeh Saleh mosque, men and women […]

Avrohom Avinu’s unwavering insistence on purchasing the Me’aras Hamachpeilah for full price, as described in yesterday’s parsha, Parshas Chayei Sarah, continues to inspire reflection thousands of years later. Now, Israel’s Ministry of Housing has used that very transaction to illustrate lessons relevant to today’s real estate market — touching on property registration, the dangers of pressure buying, and the reality that prices have always seemed to rise.

Avrohom sought to acquire a burial plot for his wife, Sarah Imeinu. Though the Bnei Cheis courteously offered him a choice of their gravesites, they refused to sell him a permanent family plot. When Ephron HaChitti stepped forward and offered both the field and the cave as a gift, Avrohom declined, determined to pay the full value in cash. “I will give the price of the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there,” he said.

According to Ariel Rosenberg, head of the Sales Law Department and director of the Homebuyers Protection Division at Israel’s Ministry of Construction and Housing, the “first real estate transaction in Tanach” carries three lessons that remain valid in the modern market:

1. The importance of proper registration — what we’d now call a title deed or tabu.

2. The wisdom of avoiding deals made under emotional pressure.

3. The timeless complaint that property prices only ever go up.

Rosenberg notes that Avrohom paid Ephron 400 shekel kesef — a substantial sum. But how much is that worth in today’s currency? The weight of the silver was about 640 kilograms, though some opinions place it anywhere between 4.5 kilograms and 17 tons. With silver currently priced around $1,250 per kilogram, that amount equals approximately $800,000 — or about 2.6 million shekels. That’s roughly a quarter of a million shekels more than the average price of a home in Israel today.

The structure above the Me’aras Hamachpeilah was built many centuries after Avrohom’s time, yet using its size as a basis for calculation offers perspective. Measuring 34 by 59.16 meters — a total of 2,111.4 square meters — Avrohom effectively paid around 1,231 shekels per square meter, an impressive figure for his era.

By comparison, a recent tender in Kiryat Arba for 156 residential units closed at a price of about 115,000 shekels per apartment — roughly 5% of what Avrohom paid — and that’s without accounting for the inflation of 3,704 years.

Even in the days of our forefather Avrohom, it seems, real estate was no bargain — and the market trend, as always, was only upward.

{Matzav.com}

An overwhelming majority of Americans believe freedom of speech is headed in the wrong direction, according to a new poll. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), through its National Speech Index, tracks attitudes toward free speech on a quarterly basis. The latest tracking shows that 74% of Americans believe things are headed in […]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubled down Sunday on Israel’s categorical rejection of a Palestinian state and insisted that Hamas must be fully dismantled before any rebuilding of Gaza can begin — even as the Trump administration signals it may abandon key elements of its own post-war plan, throwing U.S.–Israel coordination into crisis. Speaking at the […]

A hateful antisemitic message spray-painted on a Brooklyn sidewalk late Friday has drawn condemnation from New York City officials, including newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose victory earlier this month came amid deep concern from Jewish leaders about rising antisemitism across the city. New York City Council member Lincoln Restler, who is Jewish, said he […]

A report released this morning by Israel’s National Insurance Institute paints a troubling picture of hunger and poverty across the country, showing that food insecurity remains widespread — particularly among the chareidi community.

According to the 2024 Food Security Report, 2.78 million Israelis lived with food insecurity last year, including about one million children. The data show that 26.5% of households in Israel faced some level of difficulty obtaining sufficient nutritious food. The situation is especially severe in the Arab community, where 58% of families experience food insecurity, and among chareidi households, where the rate stands at 25%. Nearly 10% of all households nationwide suffer from very low food security.

While the overall percentage of families facing food insecurity fell slightly compared to the previous year — from 30.8% in 2023 to 27.2% in 2024 — experts caution that the problem remains severe and widespread. The report’s authors urge the government to increase welfare payments and direct aid to struggling families, noting that rising healthcare expenses and the burden on the welfare system continue to grow.

The findings also highlight a strong connection between income and access to food. Among households in the lowest income bracket, almost half (47.6%) suffer from food insecurity, compared to only 9.5% among those in the highest bracket.

Food insecurity is particularly common in large families, with 30.3% of households with six or more members affected. It is also prevalent among single-person households (29.1%) and two-person households (26.8%).

Beyond the immediate human toll, the report warns of long-term financial consequences. Poor nutrition leads to higher healthcare costs, contributing millions of shekels annually to expenses tied to obesity and chronic diseases.

Acting Director-General of the National Insurance Institute, Tzvika Cohen, said the findings should serve as a wake-up call: “Israeli society must strive and work decisively to significantly reduce food insecurity among children and the elderly. A moral society cannot allow such inequality, reflected in the growing inability of families to access healthy food. We must do everything possible to improve this situation. This report provides policymakers with a clear picture so they can take action to strengthen food security for all residents of Israel.”

{Matzav.com}