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More than 7.3 million Israelis are eligible to cast ballots Tuesday in elections for the 26th Knesset, with polling stations opening across the country at 7 a.m. and remaining open until 10 p.m. as voters determine the composition of Israel’s 120-seat parliament.

According to figures released ahead of Election Day, 7,331,981 citizens are eligible to vote, with 12,018 polling stations established nationwide. A total of 36 party lists are competing for representation in the Knesset.

Election officials have announced special arrangements for soldiers, hospitalized patients, residents displaced by the war, and individuals with mobility limitations. Free transportation will also be provided on designated intercity routes to help voters reach their polling stations.

Most polling stations will open at 7 a.m. Tuesday and close at 10 p.m. However, voting will end at 8 p.m. in certain smaller communities and at special polling stations operating in hospitals, prisons, and nursing homes.

Voters who are uncertain where they are registered can obtain their polling station information through the Interior Ministry’s online locator by entering the required identification details. Additional information about polling locations and operating hours is available through the Central Elections Committee.

Although eligible voters have received election notices by mail, bringing the notice is not mandatory. It can, however, help voters identify their assigned polling station and make the process more convenient.

Every voter must present an approved identification document before receiving a ballot envelope. Accepted documents include an Israeli identity card, known as a teudat zehut, a valid Israeli driver’s license, a valid Israeli passport, or valid personal military identification. Police officers may also identify themselves using their official police credentials.

Special voting procedures have been established for individuals who cannot cast their ballots at their regular polling stations.

IDF soldiers may vote at designated military polling stations on their bases or at their assigned civilian polling stations. Police officers are permitted to vote at polling stations throughout the country, subject to the applicable identification and voting requirements.

Hospitals with at least 50 inpatient beds will be served by a total of 250 special polling stations, enabling patients receiving medical treatment to participate in the elections without leaving their facilities.

Similar arrangements will be available at nursing homes housing more than 50 residents. Individuals with mobility difficulties who reside in institutions without their own polling stations may use designated accessible voting locations.

Separate arrangements have also been prepared for Israelis who remain displaced from their homes because of the war.

Those residents may vote at the polling stations assigned to their original residential addresses or utilize special arrangements established for displaced communities. Dedicated polling stations will be provided for evacuees from Be’eri, Kfar Aza, Nir Oz, and Holit, while eligible individuals may also use specially accessible polling stations.

Accessibility is another major component of the election preparations. Of the polling stations operating nationwide, 6,208 will be accessible to people with disabilities, including 3,620 classified as specially accessible polling stations.

Voters whose mobility limitations prevent them from reaching their assigned polling station may cast ballots at these specially accessible locations, even if they are not registered there. Their votes will be placed in double envelopes to ensure they are included in the national count while preventing duplicate voting.

Where a voter’s disability is not apparent, election officials may require a signed declaration confirming eligibility to use the special arrangements. Providing false information in such a declaration constitutes a criminal offense.

The Central Elections Committee’s polling station map identifies accessible facilities, with purple markings indicating locations that contain at least one specially accessible polling station.

Election officials are also reminding voters to follow the required procedures carefully to prevent their ballots from being disqualified.

After presenting identification, each voter receives an official ballot envelope and enters a private voting booth. Inside the booth, the voter selects the paper slip bearing the letters of the chosen party, places it inside the envelope, and deposits the sealed envelope into the ballot box.

Voters are advised to use the official ballot slips provided at the polling station and avoid adding writing, markings, or other materials. Ballots that do not comply with the required dimensions, color, or printing standards may be rejected.

An envelope containing two or three identical ballot slips will still be counted as a single valid vote. However, voters are encouraged to insert only one slip to avoid unnecessary complications.

Transportation authorities have meanwhile announced free travel on selected public transportation services beginning Monday evening.

The arrangement takes effect at 8 p.m. Monday and continues until the conclusion of public transportation operations on Election Day. It covers Israel Railways services and intercity bus routes longer than 15 kilometers.

Local urban bus services will continue charging their usual fares.

Voters traveling Tuesday may also face difficult weather conditions in parts of the country. Forecasts indicate that temperatures will fall toward seasonal averages, with scattered rainfall expected primarily in southern and eastern Israel.

Rain is expected to become heavier during the afternoon in those regions, potentially accompanied by thunderstorms, strong wind gusts, and hail.

Authorities have warned of possible flash flooding in streams and low-lying areas of the southern Negev, Arava, Judean Desert, and Dead Sea region. Motorists and others traveling through those areas are advised to monitor weather warnings and comply with official safety instructions.

The counting of votes will get underway after polling stations close Tuesday night at 10 p.m. Election workers at each location will open the ballot envelopes, tally the votes, and prepare official reports documenting the results.

Those reports, together with the election materials, will be delivered to regional election committees for verification before the figures are entered into the Central Elections Committee’s national reporting system.

Preliminary results will begin appearing overnight, with additional figures released as more polling stations complete their counts. However, the initial totals will not necessarily reflect the final distribution of the Knesset’s 120 seats.

A major factor in determining the final outcome will be the counting of double-envelope ballots, which are used by voters who cast their ballots outside their regularly assigned polling stations.

These include soldiers, police officers, prison guards, hospitalized patients, and other individuals covered by special voting arrangements.

Under the system, the completed ballot is placed inside a regular voting envelope, which is then enclosed in a second envelope containing identifying information. Election officials use the outer envelope to confirm that the individual has not voted elsewhere, while the inner envelope preserves the secrecy of the ballot.

Between 600,000 and 650,000 voters are expected to use double envelopes in this election, according to Central Elections Committee estimates. That would represent a record number of such ballots, numerically equivalent to approximately 15 Knesset seats.

The comparison does not mean that 15 seats will change hands when those ballots are counted. Rather, it illustrates the considerable number of votes that may remain outstanding after the initial election-night results are published.

In previous elections, the inclusion of double-envelope ballots has sometimes altered the final allocation of one or two Knesset seats.

Because a substantial share of these ballots comes from IDF personnel, their political distribution has historically differed from the overall electorate. In earlier elections, the additional count has sometimes increased the relative representation of Zionist parties while reducing the proportional strength of chareidi and Arab parties.

Those historical patterns do not establish how the ballots will be distributed in Tuesday’s election, but they explain why political parties will be closely monitoring the count even after most ordinary polling stations have reported their results.

Election officials expect the counting process to be substantially completed by Thursday afternoon. The legal deadline for publication of the official election results is Wednesday, November 4.

Additional preparations for the election include the printing of approximately 450 million ballot slips, the deployment of roughly 15,000 cameras for election oversight, and a nationwide operation involving approximately 100,000 election workers.

Voters arriving at a polling station before its scheduled closing time will be permitted to cast their ballots even if they remain in line after the official closing hour. Election officials also have authority to adjust polling arrangements in exceptional circumstances, including security emergencies.

For voters traveling by public transportation, authorities have clarified that eligible intercity bus passengers may board without presenting identification or validating a fare card. Train passengers, however, must obtain a complimentary ticket from a station ticket machine or service counter.

Travelers can determine whether a particular bus route qualifies for free service by calling the Transportation Ministry’s information line at \*8787. Free transportation to or from Eilat is subject to separate eligibility requirements and advance registration through Egged at \*2800.

Election Day is also generally a paid day off for eligible employees in Israel, although essential services will continue operating and separate compensation arrangements apply to those required to work.

With millions of voters, thousands of polling stations, and a substantial number of ballots expected to be counted after Election Night, Israel’s next Knesset will begin taking shape Tuesday evening, although the precise allocation of seats may remain unsettled for several days.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spent weeks attempting to arrange a new military strike against Iran ahead of Tuesday’s Israeli elections, encountering resistance from IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and failing to secure approval from President Donald Trump, according to multiple reports published Monday that have triggered a major controversy within Israel’s political and defense establishments.

The reports, citing senior Israeli defense officials, American officials and individuals familiar with the discussions, describe growing disagreements over the timing and potential consequences of renewed military action against Iran, particularly with Israelis preparing to vote on October 27.

Netanyahu reportedly sought to advance an operation that could have reignited hostilities with Tehran, while Zamir raised concerns about the military implications and the possibility that an Iranian retaliation could disrupt or even force the postponement of the elections.

The Prime Minister’s Office has rejected the allegations, describing reports of Netanyahu’s efforts to secure an immediate attack as “fake news.” Defense Minister Yisrael Katz also issued an emphatic denial, insisting that Israel had never intended to initiate military action against Iran before the elections.

According to a report in Israel Hayom, Netanyahu supported moving ahead with a relatively swift operation against Iran and received backing from Mossad Director Roman Gofman. Zamir, however, opposed the proposal and reportedly had not been informed about it beforehand.

A source familiar with the discussions said the contemplated action “could have led to renewed war with Iran,” although the proposed operation was not intended to constitute a full-scale military offensive.

The disagreement reportedly centered on whether Israel should proceed immediately with an operation that could provoke a broader confrontation or wait until the military and political circumstances were more favorable.

Channel 12 reported Sunday evening that tensions between Netanyahu and Zamir had intensified after the military chief received instructions concerning an operation that senior defense officials believed could rapidly escalate into another confrontation with Iran.

Because of the potential consequences, Zamir reportedly insisted on a thorough examination of the proposal and appropriate authorization before proceeding.

Military officials were also said to be concerned about the appearance of launching a major security operation immediately before an election, particularly amid accusations from opposition politicians that Netanyahu could benefit politically from a renewed confrontation with Iran.

However, the Israel Hayom report emphasized that legitimate operational considerations could also explain the proposed timing, independent of the election campaign. It further indicated that the military and intelligence establishments generally support continued efforts to weaken Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities, even while disagreeing about the timing and methods of particular operations.

The dispute extended to Washington, where Netanyahu reportedly sought American participation in renewed attacks.

CNN reported Monday that Netanyahu had pressed Trump to approve a joint American-Israeli operation before the Israeli election, but the president declined to authorize an immediate strike.

“Netanyahu really wanted and tried to convince Trump for a joint attack in Iran before the elections, and Trump did not give a green light,” an Israeli security source told CNN.

According to the report, American officials indicated that Washington was not ruling out renewed military action but wanted Israel to delay any operation until the United States was prepared to participate.

American military planners have reportedly developed substantial strike options that could be implemented within days of receiving presidential authorization.

CNN reported that a major American operation could begin within 96 hours of an order from Trump and could involve attacks against Iranian military installations, nuclear facilities and critical infrastructure.

The proposed campaign would reportedly go considerably beyond limited strikes intended merely to degrade Iranian capabilities temporarily.

Israel was said to have accepted Washington’s request for a delay partly because of concerns about its ability to defend against a large-scale Iranian missile response without American assistance.

Defense officials are reportedly concerned that another confrontation could bring missile attacks from Iran and potentially from the Houthis in Yemen, placing additional demands on Israel’s air-defense systems.

The timing of any renewed offensive is also complicated by the American midterm elections scheduled for November 3.

According to diplomatic sources cited by Israel Hayom, Trump prefers to postpone a major operation until after the American elections, with officials believing that military objectives could be achieved just as effectively afterward.

The administration is also reportedly concerned that renewed fighting could cause oil prices to rise, creating additional economic and political complications immediately before Americans head to the polls.

The latest controversy follows earlier reports that Netanyahu and Trump discussed the possibility of another major campaign against Iran during several conversations this month.

According to Axios, Netanyahu expressed concern about intelligence suggesting that Iran was attempting to rebuild elements of its nuclear program following earlier military operations.

Israeli officials have reportedly been particularly concerned about the possibility of renewed uranium-enrichment activity at deeply buried Iranian facilities.

American and Israeli military officials have continued preparations for possible renewed hostilities even as Trump has withheld authorization for an immediate offensive.

Zamir reportedly warned American military officials that an attack shortly before the Israeli election could produce substantial Iranian retaliation and potentially interfere with the voting process.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu has publicly emphasized the continuing threat posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

On Sunday, he circulated an AI-generated image depicting a nuclear explosion in Tel Aviv, warning about the dangers of allowing Iran to acquire nuclear weapons and calling for the confrontation with Tehran to be completed during the remaining two years of Trump’s presidency.

The reports have prompted strong reactions from opposition politicians.

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman announced Monday that he had asked Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to investigate Netanyahu over allegations that he had pressured security officials to undertake actions that could lead to a confrontation with Iran.

Liberman accused Netanyahu of potentially endangering Israeli security for electoral purposes, allegations that have not been established and that the government denies.

Former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot also criticized Netanyahu’s handling of the Iran issue, accusing him of employing alarming security messages during the election campaign.

Katz, however, strongly defended the government’s conduct and rejected suggestions of a confrontation between Netanyahu and the military leadership.

“The reports of disagreements between the political leadership and the IDF on Iran are completely baseless and false,” Katz said Monday.

“I state unequivocally that Israel had no intention of initiating an attack on Iran before the election in Israel, while making clear that if Iran attacks Israel, we will respond with great force,” he added.

Netanyahu himself denied reports of a confrontation with Zamir during an appearance on Channel 14 Sunday night, insisting that “there is no confrontation.”

The prime minister also suggested that the controversy was distracting attention from warnings that Iran was attempting to interfere in Israel’s election.

Separately, Israel Hayom reported that Israeli and American officials have been examining broader military options intended to severely weaken the Iranian government and potentially bring about its collapse.

Those discussions reportedly include attacks against Iranian leadership and military infrastructure, although no decision to proceed with such a campaign has been publicly announced.

The immediate question is whether Israel and the United States will resume major military operations against Iran after their respective elections.

For now, despite reports of extensive military preparations and continuing discussions between Jerusalem and Washington, Trump has not authorized the immediate joint attack that Netanyahu reportedly sought.

Rav Shaul Alter, rosh yeshiva of the Pnei Menachem community, is scheduled to depart for Florida on Tuesday, where he will spend the coming Shabbos at a special Chavrusa convention organized by Mosdos Pnei Menachem in Tampa. Before leaving Eretz Yisroel, the rosh yeshiva intends to cast his ballot for United Torah Judaism, whose electoral symbol is Gimmel.

Rav Alter’s schedule on Election Day will be particularly tight. He is expected to vote early Tuesday morning and then travel directly to Ben Gurion Airport for his flight to the United States.

The upcoming visit has generated considerable anticipation among members of the Pnei Menachem community in America, who are preparing to welcome the rosh yeshiva for the Shabbos gathering.

During his Seudah Shlishis tish this past Shabbos, Rav Alter spoke about the upcoming journey and asked his chassidim to daven for his success.

“Please daven for me that I should succeed in my mission and that I should not stumble into arrogance and haughtiness,” the rosh yeshiva told those assembled.

During the same tish, Rav Alter delivered sharp remarks condemning recent incidents in which prominent admorim from Yerushalayim and Bnei Brak were subjected to violence and harassment.

The incidents, which occurred last week, prompted widespread condemnation across the chareidi community, with rabbonim and communal figures expressing outrage over the mistreatment of respected Torah leaders.

Rav Alter addressed the issue through a discussion of a posuk in Parshas Lech Lecha describing Yishmoel: “Yado vakol,” meaning that his hand would be against everyone.

The rosh yeshiva cited the differing explanations of the Targum and Rashi regarding the meaning of the expression. According to one interpretation, the reference is to a hand extended toward others to receive money, while the other describes a hand raised to strike others.

Rav Alter then applied the two interpretations to those responsible for the recent attacks, criticizing individuals who solicit funds overseas to support demonstrations while also engaging in violent conduct.

“There are those who think they are being ‘machmir’ according to both interpretations,” Rav Alter remarked. “On the one hand, their hands are extended to collect money overseas for the demonstrations and protests they organize, while on the other hand, they are also ‘machmir’ and seek to resort to violence. If they were merely collecting money, that would be one thing, but why are they ‘machmir’ and insist on engaging in violence as well?”

The rosh yeshiva’s remarks were understood as a pointed condemnation of extremist elements involved in demonstrations that have included attacks on prominent admorim.

Members of the Pnei Menachem community also revealed that following the recent incident in which the Karlin-Stolin Rebbe was attacked, Rav Alter sent the Rebbe a personal letter of chizuk.

In the letter, Rav Alter referred to the words of Chazal in the Sifri concerning the posuk, “On condition that they will stone you and revile you,” which describes the abuse that may be directed at those who uphold the Torah.

The rosh yeshiva expressed his pain that such words had become relevant to contemporary events.

“Had our generation been worthy, we would not have needed to fulfill this condition in practice,” Rav Alter wrote. “But since our generation has not been worthy, we are compelled to witness these words being fulfilled in reality.”

{Matzav.com}

The Israel Defense Forces has released new figures showing a continued increase in military enlistment among chareidi men, with 781 recruits entering designated military programs since August, including a record number entering combat positions.

The figures, reported Monday by Israel Hayom, come amid an intensifying confrontation over the drafting of chareidi men, with the military expanding recruitment efforts while gedolei Yisroel continue to strongly oppose the conscription of yeshiva bochurim.

According to the latest IDF statistics, 286 chareidi recruits entered combat positions during the current recruitment cycle, compared with 230 during the corresponding period last year. The increase of approximately 24 percent represents a new high for chareidi combat enlistment.

The military also reported substantial recruitment into technological programs, with 234 chareidi men joining such frameworks during the past two weeks alone.

Those recruits joined another 547 men who had begun military service since August, bringing the total number entering designated chareidi programs to 781.

The latest technological recruits were divided among three programs. A total of 139 joined the Kodkod program, 57 entered Ma’alot Tzur, and another 38 enlisted through Pa’amei Atidim.

These frameworks are designed to provide military and professional training while accommodating aspects of the religious lifestyles of chareidi recruits.

The IDF said it expects additional recruitment into combat and combat-support positions in the coming months, as the military continues expanding programs specifically intended for men from chareidi backgrounds.

Among the military’s initiatives is the Chashmonaim Brigade, established as a combat formation for chareidi soldiers. The unit operates with religious accommodations, including enhanced kashrus arrangements, designated times for tefillah and Torah learning, and other provisions intended to facilitate service within a chareidi framework.

Other recruitment programs provide training in technological and professional fields, including communications, cybersecurity, intelligence-related work, and military support functions.

The increase in enlistment follows a broader upward trend recorded during the previous military recruitment year.

According to figures presented by the IDF in August, 4,298 chareidi men enlisted between July 2025 and June 2026, compared with 2,811 during the preceding recruitment year.

The increase was attributed by military officials to several factors, including expanded enlistment programs, greater enforcement of draft requirements, and financial and legal measures affecting individuals who have not reported for military service.

Despite the rising numbers, the military maintains that enlistment remains considerably below the level it believes is necessary to address its manpower requirements.

The latest figures also emerge against the backdrop of new legal pressure on the government to intensify enforcement against draft avoiders.

Last week, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara submitted an update to the Supreme Court reporting that approximately 110,000 individuals subject to military service requirements had failed to comply with those obligations.

According to the figures submitted to the court, 67,230 chareidi men had been classified as draft avoiders or individuals who had failed to report to military recruitment offices after receiving orders.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Yitzchok Yosef, the former Sephardic chief rabbi of Israel, has issued a forceful public letter ahead of Tuesday’s elections, declaring that he has received explicit commitments that resolving the status of yeshiva bochurim will be the first and most important matter addressed following the elections.

In the letter, directed particularly toward bochurim and bnei Torah struggling under the ongoing draft crisis, Rav Yosef acknowledges the frustration and suffering experienced by the chareidi community and addresses those questioning the value of participating in elections after previous political efforts failed to resolve the situation.

The Rishon Letzion states that assurances have been obtained from the relevant political parties that the status of yeshiva students will take precedence over all other issues in the negotiations following the elections.

“Above all, we have informed all the relevant parties that the matter of regulating the status of bnei Torah will be the first and most important priority, ahead of every other issue, and we have received clear and absolute commitments regarding this matter,” Rav Yosef writes.

His letter comes amid considerable frustration throughout the chareidi community over the continuing draft crisis, including the issuance of draft orders, enforcement measures against yeshiva bochurim, and the difficulties faced by those seeking to continue learning without interference.

Rav Yosef opens his message by directly acknowledging the distress of the bochurim, making clear that he is fully aware of the circumstances confronting them.

“I know very well your great pain and the severity of your plight,” he writes. “For, because of our many sins, you are being persecuted by government authorities and the judicial system, who seek to silence the voice of Torah, Heaven forbid. You cannot even come and go freely for necessary matters, and we have already cried out about this many times and protested vehemently against the persecution of those who learn Torah in the Holy Land.”

The rosh yeshiva then addresses an argument that has gained traction among some members of the chareidi public: Why should voters continue supporting chareidi representatives when those representatives have been unable to secure a satisfactory solution to the draft issue?

Rather than dismissing those concerns, Rav Yosef explicitly raises them in his letter.

“There are those who will say, Heaven forbid, ‘What benefit have the representatives of the rabbonim brought us?’ After all, the persecution continues without interruption, and there is no solution. The harvest has passed, the summer has ended, and we have not been saved. If so, what benefit is there in voting when it brings no influence?”

The question reflects the disappointment felt by some yeshiva bochurim and their families over the failure to enact legislation protecting the status of full-time Torah learners, despite years of political negotiations and repeated promises.

Rav Yosef responds by emphasizing the commitments he says have now been secured concerning the next round of coalition negotiations.

According to the letter, the issue of yeshiva students’ status will not be relegated to a secondary position or postponed while other political demands are negotiated. Instead, it is to be treated as the foremost priority.

Rav Yosef also addresses the broader significance he attaches to the chareidi public uniting behind its political representatives, describing such unity as a public demonstration of commitment to Torah.

“The very gathering under the call of ‘Whoever is for Hashem, come to me,’ proclaiming that there is an enormous community that occupies the benches of the bais medrash and cleaves to Hashem and His Torah, is itself a tremendous kiddush Hashem and a strengthening of the power of Torah,” he writes.

Toward the conclusion of the letter, Rav Yosef issues an unequivocal halachic directive regarding participation in the elections, specifically calling upon bnei yeshivos to support Shas and encourage others to do likewise.

“Therefore, one must not be negligent in any way regarding voting and influencing others. It is the obligation of every Jew, and particularly bnei Torah, to do everything in their power to sanctify Hashem’s Name in the world and to exert whatever influence they can on behalf of the holy Shas movement. It is a serious prohibition to stand on the sidelines and refrain from voting or influencing others.”

The Rishon Letzion concludes with a bracha for those who assist the effort, invoking the zechus of strengthening Torah and supporting its lomdim during a difficult period.

“May the merit of increasing the strength of Torah stand for all those who came to Hashem’s aid among the mighty and stood alongside those who learn Torah in their time of distress,” he writes.

Former Hamas hostage Agam Berger has publicly demanded that Yair Golan’s Democrats Party stop using footage of her from the October 7 terrorist attacks in its election campaign, objecting to the inclusion of images showing her inside the shelter where she took refuge before being abducted to Gaza.

Berger issued the demand in a direct response to a new campaign video released by the Democrats Party ahead of Tuesday’s elections in Israel. The video, titled “Remember,” incorporates disturbing footage from the October 7 massacre and the abduction of hostages, accompanied by criticism of the Israeli government and appeals to voters.

Among the images included in the campaign advertisement are scenes from the fortified shelter in which Berger was present before being taken captive by Hamas terrorists.

Responding directly beneath the party’s Instagram post, Berger invoked a message about truth and the spiritual strength of the Jewish people.

“One who seeks the truth and girds himself for battle on behalf of the truth always prevails,” she wrote. “And the truth is that we do not prevail by virtue of power, but through the power of merit and the merit of our forefathers.”

She then added an unequivocal demand: “And don’t use videos in which I appear in the shelter.”

Her public objection drew considerable attention on social media, with Berger making clear that she did not want footage of her experiences on October 7 used in the party’s political advertising.

The Democrats Party campaign video combines scenes from the Hamas attack with political messages accusing the government of failing to protect Israelis during the massacre.

“Remember those who abandoned the sons and daughters, the male and female soldiers, the residents of the kibbutzim and neighborhoods, the men and women who were dancing and fled for their lives into the fields and were abducted into the tunnels,” the advertisement’s narration declares.

The video also praises those who participated in demonstrations and activities calling for the return of the hostages, before concluding with an appeal connected to the upcoming elections.

Berger’s response places her at odds with the party’s decision to incorporate her personal experience into the advertisement. Her statement did not address the broader political arguments made in the video, focusing specifically on the use of footage showing her in the shelter.

Berger, who served as an IDF surveillance soldier at the Nachal Oz military base, was abducted during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. She spent 482 days in captivity before being released on January 30, 2025, as part of a hostage exchange agreement.

Since returning home, Berger has participated in numerous public and religious gatherings, including a major Selichos gathering at the Kosel attended by approximately 100,000 people. She has also met with prominent rabbonim, including Rav Yigal Cohen, who praised the extraordinary inner strength she demonstrated during her captivity.

The campaign controversy comes just one day before Israelis head to the polls, with Golan’s Democrats Party seeking support through advertisements highlighting the events of October 7 and the government’s handling of the war and hostage crisis.

The advertisement concludes with the message, “Remember. Now is the time to choose whether we remain in darkness or whether, together, we turn on the light.”

As of the latest reports, there had been no public response from Golan or the Democrats Party addressing Berger’s request, and it was not clear whether the footage would be removed from the advertisement.

{Matzav.com}

The United States military is reportedly preparing for the possibility of a major new operation against Iran, with American forces potentially capable of launching strikes within 96 hours of receiving authorization from President Donald Trump.

According to a report attributed to CNN, military preparations could allow the United States to initiate an operation within four days of a presidential decision, raising the prospect of another confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

The reported timeline does not mean that Trump has ordered an attack or that military action is imminent. Rather, it concerns how quickly American forces might be able to act if the president decides to authorize an operation.

The report comes at a particularly sensitive moment, with Israel preparing for Tuesday’s Knesset elections and renewed attention focused on disagreements between Washington and Yerushalayim over how to confront Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities.

Two American officials familiar with the military preparations told CNN that sufficient forces are already deployed throughout the Middle East to carry out the potential attacks.

Unlike the more limited strikes conducted since Trump halted full-scale combat operations against Iran earlier this year, the new plans reportedly contemplate a substantially broader campaign aimed at inflicting lasting damage on Iranian capabilities.

“It will be a big effort,” one American official told CNN.

The Pentagon and U.S. Central Command have reportedly assembled an extensive list of possible targets, including Iranian military installations, energy infrastructure, and nuclear facilities.

Officials familiar with the discussions believe Trump could authorize the operation before the end of the year, with several suggesting that action is most likely after the November 3 American midterm elections.

Some officials reportedly regard renewed military action as increasingly likely, although they acknowledged that Trump has previously appeared close to authorizing strikes before deciding against them.

The White House declined to comment on the military preparations.

A senior Pentagon official, responding to questions about the report, said, “The Department is a planning organization, and its job is to develop and execute military options ordered by the President.”

American military planners are also confronting significant operational challenges. Iranian forces have become increasingly familiar with U.S. military tactics, potentially making it more difficult to destroy key installations and prevent Tehran from rebuilding damaged capabilities.

The possibility of renewed American military action has also prompted concern over Iranian retaliation.

Recent U.S. intelligence assessments indicate that Iran and the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen are taking the threat of additional American and Israeli strikes seriously.

Intelligence officials believe that a renewed military campaign could trigger immediate retaliatory attacks against American military personnel and facilities throughout the Middle East, potentially extending beyond the region.

An October 23 intelligence memorandum reportedly warned that Iran had intensified efforts to target American personnel, with some plots reaching advanced stages.

Washington has already begun taking precautions to protect American personnel in the region.

The State Department ordered nonessential personnel and their families to leave the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh amid repeated Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia. Additional American diplomatic facilities could face similar restrictions as regional tensions intensify.

The military has also reportedly canceled certain planned deployments of nonessential personnel to the Middle East, another indication that officials are preparing for the possibility of a broader confrontation.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has been pressing Washington to renew military operations against Iran.

According to CNN, Netanyahu sought American approval for a joint military strike before Israel’s October 27 elections, but Trump declined to authorize the proposed operation at that time.

“Netanyahu really wanted and tried to convince Trump for a joint attack in Iran before the elections, and Trump did not give a green light,” an Israeli security source told CNN.

American officials reportedly urged Israel to postpone military action until Washington was prepared to participate in a coordinated operation.

The timing has particular political significance because a major confrontation with Iran could affect Israel’s elections and the ability of its next government to conduct military operations.

According to the report, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir warned his American counterpart, General Dan Caine, that a strike before the Israeli elections could disrupt the voting process and potentially force a postponement.

Despite the reported disagreement over timing, Trump has continued publicly supporting Netanyahu.

In a message posted Sunday, the president urged Israelis to reelect Netanyahu, declaring, “Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister. We have to finish the job that we started!”

The statement fueled speculation that Washington and Yerushalayim could be preparing for another phase of their campaign against Iran following the elections.

The developments also come amid continuing tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, where American military operations and restrictions on Iranian shipping have contributed to a prolonged regional crisis.

U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper flew over the strategic waterway Sunday, meeting American military personnel involved in operations to clear Iranian mines.

American officials have described the situation in the strait as unsustainable over the long term, although questions remain about how a renewed military offensive would affect international shipping and regional stability.

The central uncertainty remains Trump’s ultimate decision.

Although American military forces are reportedly positioned to begin a major operation within four days of receiving presidential authorization, no such order has been publicly confirmed.

Tens of thousands of people gathered Sunday evening at the Rav Landau Bridge in Bnei Brak for a massive United Torah Judaism election gathering attended by leading roshei yeshiva, rabbonim, and members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. The gathering, held two days before Tuesday’s elections, was dominated by expressions of grave concern over the ongoing draft crisis and its impact on the yeshiva world.

The central address was delivered by Hagaon Rav Dov Landau, who spoke with great emotion about the situation confronting yeshiva bochurim and kollel yungeleit throughout Eretz Yisroel.

“My rabbonim and gentlemen, we are now in a terrible situation,” Rav Landau declared. “I cry out: Never before in Eretz Yisroel has there been such a terrible situation as the one we find ourselves in now. Never before have yeshiva bochurim and kollel yungeleit been persecuted as they are being persecuted now.”

Rav Landau continued with an impassioned appeal concerning the future of the Torah world.

“Our brothers, Bnei Yisroel, save, save, save the Torah world and its continued existence,” he said. “The only possibility of saving it at present is to vote for the letter Gimmel. The situation is so terrible that I am allowing myself to appeal even to those who have never voted Gimmel in previous elections.”

He stressed that his position was based on what he regarded as the needs of the yeshivos and the continuation of Torah life, rather than loyalty to any particular political camp.

“Return to your tents and hold fast to the Tree of Life,” Rav Landau said. “We are not connected to one side or another. We are connected only to the Torah, and we will support only those who give us the ability to continue the Torah lives of our children in the yeshiva world, the dwelling place of the Shechinah in our generation, for the preservation of religion and Yiddishkeit.”

Rav Landau also spoke sharply against the establishment of alternative political parties within the chareidi community, warning that votes cast for those parties could weaken the existing chareidi representation.

“With a pained heart, I call upon those who have gone astray and those who mislead others, who have established various parties that do not have the approval of the chachomim,” he said. “Please, do not waste votes. You are harming the Torah world. Supposed concern for yeshiva bochurim and for those who work to support their families is being used as a false pretext. It is forbidden to support these parties, which represent falsehood and harm.”

The gathering began with Maariv, led by Bnei Brak Deputy Mayor Menachem Shapira of Degel HaTorah. Eliezer Sorotzkin subsequently addressed the crowd and welcomed the arriving gedolim, who entered amid enthusiastic singing from the assembled thousands.

Hagaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch addressed the growing frustration among some chareidi voters, including those considering abstaining altogether or supporting alternative parties.

“There are people who are embittered,” Rav Hirsch said. “Some say not to vote at all, and others say to vote for different parties. We must understand several important things. If, chas veshalom, we reach a situation in which there is no clear victory, it will be a chillul Hashem without parallel, and chillul Hashem is the most serious matter.”

Rav Hirsch warned that, in his view, the struggle extended beyond the immediate draft issue and involved the future religious character of Eretz Yisroel.

“There are elements that want to change the character and nature of religion in Eretz Yisroel,” he said. “The Reform movement wants, chas veshalom, to turn religion into something else. If they succeed, chas veshalom, in changing the entire reality in Eretz Yisroel, a situation could develop in which we will no longer have the ability to act.”

He emphasized that the concerns he was raising affected the broader chareidi community, including those who were not themselves learning in yeshiva.

“This concerns every single individual, not specifically someone who learns Torah or studies in yeshiva,” Rav Hirsch said. “It concerns anyone who belongs to the chareidi community. The Gemara in Maseches Shabbos teaches us how serious it is when, so to speak, Hakadosh Boruch Hu says, ‘If you do not want Me, then I do not want you either,’ and He withdraws, rachmana litzlan.”

Concluding his remarks, Rav Hirsch warned against complacency and called for greater communal involvement.

“Therefore, we must not be indifferent to the situation,” he said. “We must act with all our strength to reinforce chareidi Yiddishkeit in Eretz Yisroel, understanding that assistance from Shomayim cannot be taken for granted. If, chas veshalom, we lose our siyata diShmaya, we may face a grave spiritual danger from the Reform movement. Therefore, it is absolutely forbidden not to vote Gimmel, and absolutely forbidden to vote for another party.”

Hagaon Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman also addressed the gathering, describing the current period as one of the most difficult confronting the Torah community in Eretz Yisroel.

“We are living through an extremely difficult period for Klal Yisroel here in Eretz Yisroel,” Rav Bergman declared. “They have declared war on the holy Torah, and above all, they want to take yeshiva bochurim into the army, rachmana litzlan. We are obligated to show mesirus nefesh over this, as ruled in the Shulchan Aruch, and boruch Hashem, the yeshiva bochurim are learning Torah and will continue to stand firm.”

Rav Bergman referred to the longstanding approach of the Chazon Ish and Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach regarding participation in elections.

“We are now approaching elections, and we have a mesorah from our teachers and rabbonim, Maran the Chazon Ish and Maran Rav Shach, zichron tzaddikim livracha, that we follow this path and will continue following it until the arrival of the redeemer,” he said. “If it has been established that this is the proper path of hishtadlus, then this is our path of hishtadlus.”

He added that the public demonstration of commitment to Torah was itself significant.

“When everyone sees that there is a large community faithful to Hashem and His Torah, a community that is neither frightened nor discouraged by all the harsh decrees, Hashem will help, and they will leave us alone,” Rav Bergman said. “Every individual is obligated to act on this matter and vote for the United Torah Judaism list.”

Hagaon Rav Aviezer Piltz addressed the gathering with a message concerning the obligation to follow the guidance of the gedolim even when the reasoning is not immediately apparent.

“The Torah says, ‘Whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her voice,'” Rav Piltz said. “The greatest nisayon is to overcome even spiritual values because of Hashem’s command. Sometimes we do not understand, but this is the zechus with which we will come before the Creator.”

Hagaon Rav Tzvi Drebkin addressed those who question whether voting can accomplish anything in the face of the continuing draft crisis. He described the argument that political participation is futile and challenged the conclusion that no action should be taken.

“Regarding the great danger hanging over the Torah world, there are those who claim that voting will not help anyway, and that the situation will not change whether we vote or not,” Rav Drebkin said. “According to them, there is no solution to the draft problem, and therefore there is no reason to go out and vote. We must strengthen ourselves in Torah and tefillah, fulfill the principle that ‘We have no one upon whom to rely except our Father in Heaven,’ and trust that Hakadosh Boruch Hu will show us kindness.”

Rav Drebkin then rejected the suggestion that bitachon in Hashem eliminates the obligation to make a practical hishtadlus.

“Rabbosai, this is a very serious mistake!” he declared. “Certainly, the Torah world will continue to grow and flourish, and everything is through the merit of our Father in Heaven. But when? When we make the hishtadlus that is incumbent upon us.”

To illustrate his point, Rav Drebkin recalled the account of Basya bas Pharaoh reaching toward the basket containing Moshe Rabbeinu in the Nile.

“Even when Moshe Rabbeinu was in the basket in the river, Pharaoh’s daughter extended her hand to save him,” he explained. “Seemingly, there was no possibility that extending her hand would lead to his rescue through natural means. Nevertheless, the miracle occurred as a result of that hishtadlus.”

He continued, “So too in our time, we must certainly trust that our Father in Heaven will perform miracles for us. This coming Tuesday, we are obligated to do what is within our power: go out and vote Gimmel. We will make our hishtadlus and trust that Hakadosh Boruch Hu will continue to save His people and protect the Torah world.”

Hagaon Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein spoke about the importance of accepting the guidance of the chachmei hador, citing the Sefer Hachinuch.

“It is brought in the Sefer Hachinuch that one who does not listen to the advice of the chachmei hador faces a very severe punishment, because this is the strong pillar upon which the Torah rests,” Rav Zilberstein said. “And one who listens to the gedolei hador is fortunate, and it will be good for him.”

Hagaon Rav Dovid Cohen, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Chevron, emphasized the significance of the gathering as an expression of emunas chachomim and adherence to the mesorah handed down by previous generations.

“We have gathered here today not only to strengthen the campaign against those who persecute Torah and religion, but to declare publicly that we stand under the leadership of our great fathers, with emunas chachomim, and that we will stand firmly and resolutely to continue the heritage of Torah that was transmitted to us, without any change,” Rav Cohen said.

Rav Cohen quoted Rav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler regarding the central importance of accepting the authority of gedolei Torah.

“Rav Dessler says that the failure to submit oneself to the gedolei Yisroel and the failure to recognize the judgment of our rabbonim are the root of all sin, and the foundation of everything is emunas chachomim,” he said. “We have come today to declare that we stand under our rabbonim. They are our leaders. We have no other leadership and no other path.”

He continued by describing the gathering as an opportunity for a public kiddush Hashem.

“The gathering in which we find ourselves today is a great gathering, in which those who are faithful to the Torah stand together and speak about kiddush Hashem, which is the greatest mitzvah,” Rav Cohen said. “On the other hand, Yom Kippur does not atone for chillul Hashem, as Chazal taught us. We have neither right nor left. We have come to rescue from the lion and the bear, for the preservation of the Torah world, so that we may stand and sanctify the Name of Heaven.”

Hagaon Rav Shraga Steinman, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Orchos Torah and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, spoke about the nisyonos confronting the Torah community and the importance of remaining steadfast despite outside pressures.

“The main thing is to declare that we belong to Hashem and to Moshe His servant, and that we act according to the way of the Torah,” Rav Steinman said. “The nisyonos that Hakadosh Boruch Hu places before us are not intended to cause us suffering, but to enable us to rise higher and reveal the tremendous strengths within each and every one of us.”

He referred to the disrespect directed at lomdei Torah and recalled the words of his father, Rav Aharon Leib Steinman zt”l, concerning the purpose of elections.

“‘Be gracious to us, Hashem, be gracious to us, for we have endured much contempt.’ There is tremendous contempt toward those who learn Torah, and through this we declare that we withstand the nisyonos and are not deterred,” Rav Steinman said.

“As my father zt”l said, the purpose of elections is to increase kavod Shomayim and demonstrate that there is a large community of lomdei Torah that does not concern itself with the disturbances and continues to cling to the path of Torah.”

Hagaon Rav Shevach Rosenberg, rov of Bnei Brak, addressed those who argue that the government’s treatment of yeshiva bochurim should lead the chareidi community to abandon participation in the political process.

“Someone claimed that the state is corrupt because it persecutes those who learn Torah, and that this amounts to genocide,” Rav Rosenberg said. “But was the state not corrupt in the days of Maran the Chazon Ish? Did the state not commit serious acts and attempt to turn immigrants who arrived from other countries away from their religion? Does that person believe that in the days of the Chazon Ish, the state was properly run?”

Rav Rosenberg argued that the difficulties confronting Torah observance in earlier generations had not prevented the gedolim of those periods from instructing the public to participate in elections.

“There was a war against the Jewish religion, and nevertheless the Chazon Ish instructed people to vote,” he said. “The other gedolei Torah ruled likewise, as did Rabbeinu Rav Shach. Even then, the state was corrupt, with all kinds of decrees, and nevertheless they did whatever they could to save what was possible.”

He continued by emphasizing the religious significance he attached to the participation of the chareidi community.

“We, the yirei Hashem, the more people who vote for the chareidi party, the greater the kiddush Hashem,” Rav Rosenberg said. “It is a declaration of ‘Whoever is for Hashem, come to me.’ Even if there were no practical benefit, as some of those who think themselves clever claim, who would give up this kiddush Hashem? Who would give up the opportunity granted to him to sanctify the Name of Heaven? Obedience to the instructions of the gedolei Torah is included in the Torah commandment, ‘And you shall act according to all that they instruct you.'”

Hagaon Rav Nosson Zochovsky, one of the rabbonim of Degel HaTorah, warned against efforts that he said were intended to weaken the party and distance the public from the leadership of the gedolim.

“We are in a situation in which various individuals are trying to weaken the spirit of Degel HaTorah because they know that this is the key to continuing the mesorah of the generations according to the gedolei Yisroel,” Rav Zochovsky said.

He drew a comparison to the separation of Avrohom Avinu and Lot in Parshas Lech Lecha.

“We see that Avrohom Avinu told Lot, ‘Please separate from me.’ True, Avrohom Avinu told him to separate, but Lot should have responded, ‘I cannot manage without you.’ The moment he failed to say that, even while he was still in Avrohom Avinu’s home, he already had the status of a wicked person.”

Rav Zochovsky concluded by speaking about the relationship between the Torah community and its gedolim.

“When we have gedolei Yisroel standing at the head, and when we see their mesirus nefesh, when they tell us, ‘Remain with us, and we will lead you where you need to go,’ we understand how important it is to remain attached to their leadership.”

The massive gathering brought together leading figures from across the Litvishe Torah world at a time of considerable concern over the draft crisis, the future of yeshiva bochurim, and disagreements within the chareidi community over political participation.

Throughout the evening, the speakers repeatedly returned to the same themes: the severity of the current situation, the longstanding approach of the Chazon Ish and Rav Shach, the importance of emunas chachomim, and their opposition to abstention or support for newly established parties.

The gathering concluded with the messages of the gedolim reverberating among the tens of thousands who had assembled in Bnei Brak, just two days before the opening of the polls.

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Deep concern is being expressed throughout the olam haTorah following a serious deterioration in the health of Rav Yitzchok Hacker, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Grodno in Be’er Yaakov and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah.

The elderly rosh yeshiva, one of the senior roshei yeshiva of the generation, was hospitalized earlier today at Maayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak after his medical condition worsened significantly.

According to reports from Eretz Yisroel, Rav Hacker’s condition is serious, and he was transferred within the past hour to the hospital’s intensive care unit for continued treatment and close medical supervision.

The news has prompted widespread concern among his talmidim and throughout the yeshiva world, with calls being issued for Klal Yisroel to increase their tefillos and be misorer rachamei Shomayim for his refuah sheleimah.

The public is asked to daven for Rav Yitzchok ben Nechama, b’soch shaar cholei Yisroel.

Hein Keil Kabir lo yim’as tefillas rabbim.

{Matzav.com}

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A new public opinion survey has found that 72% of Jewish Israelis support legislation requiring young chareidi men to serve in the Israel Defense Forces, highlighting the considerable public pressure surrounding the military draft controversy as Israel prepares for Tuesday’s Knesset elections.

The findings, attributed to an October survey by the Israel Democracy Institute, underscore the difficult political environment confronting the chareidi parties, which have made protecting the status of yeshiva bochurim one of their central demands in coalition negotiations.

The draft issue has become a major dividing line in Israeli politics, with parties across much of the political spectrum calling for expanded chareidi enlistment while chareidi leaders insist that full-time Torah study must be protected.

The survey was conducted October 5–8 by the Israel Democracy Institute’s Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research. It included 602 Jewish respondents and 149 Arab respondents, all aged 18 or older, and was published on October 14.

The findings reveal that support for mandatory chareidi enlistment extends well beyond Israel’s political Left.

Among Jewish respondents identifying with the Left, 93.5% supported the proposed conscription legislation, while 89% of those in the political Center expressed support. Even among respondents identifying with the Right, support stood at approximately 62%.

The figures are particularly significant because the chareidi parties have traditionally relied on cooperation with right-wing governments to secure arrangements protecting yeshiva students from military service.

The poll also found that 71% of Jewish respondents supported establishing a state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. The draft legislation and commission of inquiry received the highest levels of support among the policy proposals presented to Jewish respondents.

The results come amid growing tensions over the status of tens of thousands of chareidi men who have not enlisted in the military.

Following a landmark Supreme Court ruling in June 2024, the government was required to enforce military conscription laws without continuing the broad exemption arrangements previously available to yeshiva students.

The ruling set off a prolonged confrontation between the government, the military establishment, and chareidi leaders, who have warned that attempts to compel yeshiva bochurim to enlist threaten the continued existence of the Torah world.

In the months since, the authorities have increased enforcement measures against draft avoiders, including arrests and restrictions affecting certain government benefits.

The controversy has generated repeated demonstrations in Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak, and other chareidi communities, with rabbonim calling on the public to resist attempts to draft those devoted to Torah study.

The latest polling figures suggest that the political pressure for expanded enlistment is unlikely to disappear after Tuesday’s elections, regardless of which party is tasked with forming the next government.

Opposition parties have made the draft issue a major component of their campaigns, arguing that the burden of military service must be distributed more broadly across Israeli society.

Former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, one of Netanyahu’s leading challengers, has repeatedly criticized the government’s handling of the conscription issue and has called for legislation that would significantly expand chareidi enlistment.

For Shas and United Torah Judaism, however, protecting the status of bnei yeshivos remains a fundamental condition in negotiations over participation in a future coalition.

Senior rabbonim have emphasized that the preservation of Torah study is a matter of principle and have rejected proposals that would subject yeshiva students to enlistment requirements or punitive sanctions.

The dispute has also strained relations between the chareidi parties and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, whose government has struggled to advance draft legislation acceptable to its chareidi partners while facing opposition from other political factions and legal authorities.

At a massive gathering in Bnei Brak on Sunday, attended by tens of thousands of chareidim, leading gedolei Yisroel reiterated their opposition to the conscription of yeshiva students and urged the community to remain steadfast in protecting Torah study.

Rav Dov Landau, addressing the gathering, declared, “Never have yeshiva students and kollel scholars been persecuted as they are being persecuted now.”

The latest survey underscores the sharp divide between the positions expressed by the chareidi rabbinic leadership and those held by much of the broader Israeli electorate.

It does not, however, establish that all respondents favor identical enforcement measures, penalties, or exemptions. The survey asked whether the next government should enact an egalitarian conscription law requiring young chareidi men to enlist, rather than testing every possible detail of such legislation.

The distinction could prove important in coalition negotiations, where disagreements over enlistment targets, exemptions for full-time Torah scholars, and sanctions have repeatedly prevented a political compromise.

{Matzav.com}

A disturbing investigation published by Britain’s Daily Telegraph has exposed openly antisemitic messages exchanged by activists associated with the country’s Green Party,  Zack Polanski, including statements describing Jews as an abomination and allegations that the firebombing of Jewish Hatzolah ambulances in London was a staged attack.

The messages, reportedly obtained from a private WhatsApp group called “Greens for Palestine,” have intensified scrutiny of the Green Party and its handling of antisemitism among members and activists, particularly following a series of controversies involving the party’s positions on Israel and Zionism.

According to the Telegraph investigation, one participant in the group described Jews as “an abomination on the face of the earth,” while another accused Jews collectively of “murdering, bombing and starving” children.

The remarks went beyond criticism of the Israeli government or its military policies, directing accusations against Jews as a people and assigning collective responsibility for alleged wrongdoing to the entire Jewish community.

Other messages reportedly circulated conspiracy theories concerning the arson attack on four ambulances belonging to Hatzolah, the Jewish emergency medical organization serving London’s Jewish community.

The ambulances were targeted in Golders Green, a heavily Jewish neighborhood in north London, in an incident that caused widespread alarm among local residents.

Rather than condemning the attack, one participant in the WhatsApp group suggested that the destruction of the ambulances had been a “false flag” operation, implying that the attack had been orchestrated by parties seeking to create a misleading impression about who was responsible.

According to the reports, a Green Party candidate for a local council position also circulated similar allegations on social media.

The conspiracy claims have drawn particular concern because they cast suspicion on the victims of an attack against a Jewish communal emergency service, suggesting without evidence that the incident may have been staged.

Britain’s Campaign Against Antisemitism reacted sharply to the revelations, announcing that its lawyers were examining the statements and whether some of the messages might constitute criminal offenses under British law.

The organization described the language uncovered in the group as coming “straight out of Nazi Germany,” pointing to the openly hostile descriptions of Jews and the conspiracy theories surrounding an attack on a Jewish institution.

The revelations have raised questions about the Green Party’s internal disciplinary procedures and its ability to address antisemitic conduct among activists associated with the organization.

The Green Party has reportedly responded that the comments do not represent its official positions. Nevertheless, the controversy comes amid growing criticism of the party’s approach to Israel, Zionism, and Jewish communal concerns.

The controversy has unfolded under the leadership of Zack Polanski, who is himself Jewish and has been an outspoken critic of Israeli government policies. His leadership has coincided with increasingly contentious debates within the party over Zionism, the war in Gaza, and the boundaries between criticism of Israel and antisemitism.

Earlier this month, delegates at the Green Party’s annual conference approved a resolution declaring Zionism a form of racism and endorsing the creation of a single Palestinian state throughout what the motion described as historic Palestine.

The proposal was adopted by 1,022 votes to 813, despite opposition from several prominent Green Party figures, including four of its five members of Parliament. The European Green Party also distanced itself from the decision.

Polanski did not participate in the conference vote. He has defended the party’s opposition to Zionism while indicating that he would like to amend aspects of the resolution.

The backlash intensified on Sunday, October 25, when the Board of Deputies of British Jews, one of Britain’s leading Jewish representative organizations, voted overwhelmingly to formally designate the Green Party as a racist party because of its adoption of the anti-Zionist resolution.

The motion passed by a vote of 118 to one, an extraordinary expression of condemnation by the communal body.

Board of Deputies President Phil Rosenberg declared that the Greens had adopted an antisemitic platform and said the organization would consequently treat the party in the same manner as other political movements it has classified as racist.

Rosenberg argued that the party’s resolution branded a central element of Jewish identity as racist, including the longstanding connection of Jewish communities to Eretz Yisroel.

He also warned that the policy could affect Jewish communal institutions, including shuls and organizations whose members identify with Zionism.

The Board called upon other British political parties to avoid political alliances with the Greens unless the relevant Green leadership repudiated the policy and committed to overturning it.

The Labour Party has already warned Green groups with which it shares control of local councils that they must reject the resolution or risk losing Labour’s cooperation.

The Green Party rejected the Board’s characterization, maintaining that its opposition to Zionism does not amount to discrimination against Jews who hold Zionist views.

A party spokesperson said the resolution was intended to express opposition to Israeli policies toward Palestinians and insisted that the Greens would continue advocating sanctions against the Israeli government.

{Matzav.com}

In an extraordinary and deeply emotional scene at Yeshivas Kol Yaakov in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Yerushalayim, the elderly rosh yeshiva, Rav Yehuda Ades, made a rare appearance in the yeshiva’s bais medrash on Sunday evening after remaining confined to his home for nearly a year because of serious health difficulties.

The visit, undertaken with medical personnel and equipment accompanying the rosh yeshiva, came ahead of Tuesday’s elections, with Rav Ades seeking to personally convey his position regarding voting for United Torah Judaism, whose ballot symbol is Gimmel.

His son and acting rosh yeshiva, Rav Avrohom Chaim Ades, subsequently delivered a particularly forceful message to the talmidim in his father’s name, declaring that any bochur considering not voting Gimmel should pack his bags and leave the yeshiva.

Rav Yehuda Ades has been in a weakened state for an extended period and had not entered the yeshiva’s bais medrash in nearly a year. Even during the recent Yomim Noraim, he was unable to come down to the yeshiva to join his talmidim for davening.

Nevertheless, as Election Day approached, the rosh yeshiva expressed his desire to return to the bais medrash and address the matter in the presence of his talmidim.

Family members, aware of the seriousness of his medical condition, attempted to explain the difficulties involved in such a trip. Rav Ades, however, remained determined to make the visit, and arrangements were made for him to be accompanied by his medical team and the equipment necessary for his care.

When the rosh yeshiva appeared at the entrance to the bais medrash, hundreds of bochurim erupted in emotional singing, welcoming their rebbi with the familiar melodies of “L’Oro, L’Oro Nisa V’neilech” and “Orech Yomim U’Shnos Chaim.”

The singing continued as Rav Ades was brought to his customary place at the front of the bais medrash, near the Aron Kodesh.

Although visibly weak and barely able to speak, the rosh yeshiva remained seated before his talmidim for an extended period, watching them as a recording of a previous address was played on a screen beside the Aron Kodesh.

At his specific request, the yeshiva screened a 16-minute address that he had delivered during the previous election campaign, in which he discussed the obligation to participate in the elections and support the chareidi Torah list.

Rav Ades also instructed that footage of his arrival at the yeshiva be publicized among current talmidim, alumni, and the wider public so that his position would be clearly understood.

His son, Rav Avrohom Chaim Ades, who sat beside him throughout the gathering, conveyed his father’s message after the recording concluded.

He told the assembled bochurim that the rosh yeshiva wanted everyone to understand that, in his view, there was no question that they were obligated to vote Gimmel.

Rav Avrohom Chaim then issued the sharp warning that became the central message of the gathering: Any talmid contemplating a decision not to vote Gimmel should take his suitcases and leave the yeshiva.

The statement left little doubt about the seriousness with which the rosh yeshiva and his son viewed the matter.

In another remarkable detail, Rav Ades asked that it be made known that he intends to personally go to the polling station on Election Day, despite having been unable to leave his home for nearly a year.

Family members said they were examining whether arrangements could be made to accommodate his medical needs and allow him to cast his ballot.

“He wants this message to reach as many people as possible,” family members explained. “A man who did not come down to the bais medrash on Yom Kippur came down tonight for one reason: so that his talmidim would know what he is asking of them.”

The unusual appearance left a powerful impression on the bochurim, many of whom had not seen their rosh yeshiva in the bais medrash for many months. The sight of Rav Ades, accompanied by medical personnel and visibly struggling with his health, was described as deeply moving.

Word of the gathering spread rapidly among the yeshiva’s alumni, including thousands of former talmidim who have studied under Rav Ades over the decades and now serve as rabbonim, marbitzei Torah, and members of kehillos throughout Eretz Yisroel.

According to those involved, many alumni were deeply affected by the footage and by the effort their rebbi had made to appear before his talmidim.

“Anyone who saw the rosh yeshiva tonight knows what is expected of him on Tuesday, and knows that it concerns not only his own ballot, but everyone he can influence,” one of those present said.

Rav Ades has previously taken similarly firm positions regarding voting at his yeshiva. During the 2020 elections, he publicly instructed his talmidim to support United Torah Judaism, stating that bochurim who disagreed with the yeshiva’s position on the matter did not belong in the institution.

{Matzav.com}

The Amshinov chassidus is mourning the tragic petirah of Mrs. Chaya Leah Milikovsky a”h, daughter-in-law of the Amshinover Rebbe, who passed away at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Yerushalayim following a battle with a serious illness. She was just 34 years old.

The heartbreaking news has brought tremendous sorrow to the Amshinov community, particularly as the young mother leaves behind eight children, the oldest of whom is only 13 years old.

Mrs. Milikovsky a”h was born to Reb Yisroel Dov Ben Shem, a respected member of the chassidishe community in Beitar Illit, and his wife, Mrs. Feiga Riva.

Upon reaching marriageable age, she married Reb Moshe Milikovsky, a son of the Amshinover Rebbe and one of his closest and most trusted attendants.

Together, the couple established a home steeped in Torah and chassidus, raising their children in the traditions of their distinguished family.

Mrs. Milikovsky devoted herself to her family while supporting her husband’s responsibilities as a devoted son and attendant to his father, the Amshinover Rebbe, whose needs require considerable time and attention.

Her dedication enabled her husband to continue serving his father while maintaining their family home and raising their eight children.

Her untimely petirah has left her husband and children bereft of their wife and mother, with the youngest members of the family now facing life without their mother’s presence.

The loss is being felt throughout the Amshinov chassidus and among the many who know the Milikovsky and Ben Shem families.

Yehi zichrah baruch.

{Matzav.com}

A terrible tragedy has struck the Torah community in Eretz Yisroel with the petirah of habochur Akiva Leibel z”l, an 18-year-old bochur who was tragically killed after being struck by a bus while riding an electric scooter on Highway 4 near Or Akiva on Sunday evening.

The niftar was a grandson of Rav Dovid Leibel, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas HaMesivta–Torah Vodaas and founder and president of the Achvas Torah network.

Akiva z”l was born on 22 Sivan 5768 to his father, Rav Eliezer Leibel. His sudden petirah at such a young age has plunged his family and acquaintances into deep mourning.

The fatal accident occurred at approximately 7:55 p.m. on Highway 4 near Or Akiva. Emergency services received reports of a serious collision involving a bus and an electric scooter. Magen David Adom paramedics were immediately dispatched to the scene, but upon their arrival, they found that the young bochur had sustained fatal injuries and were forced to pronounce his petirah at the scene.

ZAKA volunteers from the Northern District were summoned to the location and worked to ensure proper kavod hameis, carefully collecting the necessary remains to allow for a proper kevurah in accordance with halacha.

Dovid Birnbaum, a ZAKA Northern District team leader, described the difficult scene.

“This was an extremely serious traffic accident. When we arrived at the scene, we saw the scooter rider lying on the road after being struck by a bus. Unfortunately, medical teams were forced to pronounce him dead at the scene. Together with the volunteers, we are working at the scene to collect the remains and ensure that the deceased is treated with the proper respect.”

According to additional reports, the bus driver, a man approximately 50 years old, sustained minor injuries and was transported to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera for treatment.

Police officers and traffic accident investigators responded to the scene and opened an investigation into the circumstances of the collision.

Following the tragedy, ZAKA’s legal department worked with the relevant authorities and Rav Asher Landau, rov of the forensic institute, to arrange for the release of the niftar for kevurah. ZAKA personnel subsequently assisted in transferring the body to the funeral home.

The levaya was scheduled to take place on Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Yarkon Cemetery, Shaar Hachesed, where the niftar was to be brought to kevuras Yisroel.

The family is observing shivah at the home of Akiva’s parents, 20 Beis Hillel Street in Ramat Gan. Visitors may offer condolences from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and from 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.

Umacha Hashem dimah me’al kol ponim.

{Matzav.com}

Former FBI Director James Comey is facing a third federal criminal case brought by prosecutors under President Donald Trump’s administration, this time involving allegations of transmitting national defense information and conspiring to transmit such information.

The latest case, which reportedly remained under seal beginning October 5, represents another major legal development involving Comey, whose relationship with President Trump has been marked by years of public confrontation over the FBI’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

According to NBC News, federal prosecutors have charged Comey with transmission of national defense information and conspiracy to transmit national defense information. However, the report states that Comey has not been indicted in the latest proceeding, leaving questions about the precise procedural status of the case.

The distinction is significant because a federal criminal charge does not necessarily originate with a grand jury indictment. The report does not specify whether prosecutors filed a criminal complaint or another charging document, nor does it identify the particular national defense information allegedly involved.

The development comes after two earlier federal prosecutions of Comey during Trump’s second term.

The first case, filed in September 2025, accused Comey of making a false statement to Congress and obstructing a congressional proceeding. Comey pleaded not guilty, and a federal judge dismissed the indictment in November after determining that the prosecutor who brought the case, Lindsey Halligan, had been unlawfully appointed.

The second prosecution followed in April 2026, when a federal grand jury in North Carolina indicted Comey over an Instagram photograph showing seashells arranged to form the numbers “86 47.”

Prosecutors alleged that the image constituted a threat against President Trump, the nation’s 47th president. Comey disputed that interpretation, maintained his innocence, and sought dismissal of the charges. That case remained pending as of the latest reporting.

Comey, who served as FBI director from 2013 until Trump dismissed him in May 2017, has been one of the president’s most prominent adversaries.

His tenure became the subject of intense political controversy after the FBI opened its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible connections between Russian operatives and individuals associated with Trump’s campaign.

Trump has repeatedly criticized Comey’s conduct, accusing him of dishonesty and misconduct. Comey has denied criminal wrongdoing and challenged the legitimacy of the prosecutions brought against him.

The latest case adds a new dimension to that long-running confrontation because it involves alleged national security offenses rather than congressional testimony or social media statements.

In a video posted to Instagram following reports of the new case, Comey responded to the latest development by saying, “they’re back again.”

He also reiterated his denial of wrongdoing, declaring, “I’m still innocent.”

The announcement coincided with a separate legal development involving Comey’s daughter, Maurene Comey, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan.

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman ruled that the Trump administration had unlawfully dismissed Maurene Comey from her position in July 2025. The judge ordered relief that would entitle her to back pay and retroactive reinstatement, although additional legal issues remain unresolved.

The Justice Department disputed that ruling and indicated that it intends to appeal.

Meanwhile, significant questions remain about the new national defense information case against James Comey, including the nature of the allegedly transmitted material, the circumstances of its disclosure, and whether prosecutors will seek a grand jury indictment.

No conviction has been reported in any of the three cases, and Comey continues to maintain his innocence.

The new prosecution represents the latest escalation in a legal confrontation that has continued for nearly a decade, with the former FBI director once again facing allegations from the Justice Department under the president who removed him from office in 2017.

{Matzav.com}

A major controversy has erupted in the American polling industry after an organization calling itself Wedgewood Polls acknowledged that much of its election polling data had been invented, despite the figures having been circulated by news organizations and incorporated into prominent election-tracking databases. The New York Times has responded by removing 15 polls attributed to the operation.

The disclosures have raised questions about the safeguards used to verify polling results before they are published and incorporated into political analysis, particularly with the November 3 midterm elections approaching.

According to a report in Israel Hayom by U.S. correspondent Or Shaked, the New York Times removed 15 Wedgewood surveys conducted between June and October after those behind the operation admitted that the numbers were largely fabricated.

The individuals responsible described their activities as an “experimental project” intended to demonstrate weaknesses in the polling industry and expose how easily invented statistics could enter widely used election databases without adequate verification.

The consequences may have extended beyond inaccurate polling averages. One of the candidates reportedly affected was Mallory McMorrow, whose campaign for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination in Michigan suffered after a Wedgewood survey placed her support at just 9%.

McMorrow subsequently withdrew from the primary contest. According to the report, the damaging poll contributed to a collapse in confidence surrounding her candidacy, affecting fundraising, volunteer morale, and media perceptions of her prospects.

“The donations dried up, the volunteers were devastated, and journalists demanded that I withdraw,” McMorrow said, describing the effect of the misleading numbers on her campaign.

The operation began unraveling when the election-analysis website FiftyPlusOne examined the underlying polling data and identified discrepancies that called the authenticity of the surveys into question.

The findings eventually led to the admission that much of Wedgewood’s reported research had been manufactured rather than obtained through legitimate polling.

The controversy is particularly troubling because the fabricated surveys had already found their way into established media outlets and polling databases, giving the figures an appearance of credibility that they had not earned.

The Wedgewood revelations also follow another polling fabrication incident uncovered in August, when a separate operation acknowledged publishing invented survey results as part of a similar experiment examining weaknesses in the industry’s verification procedures.

The latest disclosure has drawn a reaction from President Donald Trump, who used the controversy to attack the New York Times.

“The New York Times was caught! Everything about this failing newspaper is artificial,” Trump wrote on social media, according to the Hebrew report.

The incident has renewed scrutiny of how polling organizations establish their legitimacy, how media outlets evaluate survey methodologies, and whether election databases sufficiently distinguish established research firms from newly created operations with little verifiable track record.

Additional details have emerged about the scale of the deception and the investigation that exposed it.

Wedgewood began releasing surveys in June and presented itself as a professional polling organization. Its purported research covered competitive races across the country, including Senate and gubernatorial contests in Michigan and Mississippi.

One particularly consequential survey, released June 29, showed McMorrow receiving only 9% support in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, compared with 46% for Abdul El-Sayed and 39% for Haley Stevens. McMorrow ended her campaign six days later, on July 5.

“It killed us,” McMorrow said of the impact the fabricated poll had on her campaign.

Jennifer Holdsworth, a Democratic strategist who led a political action committee supporting McMorrow, said some donors specifically cited the Wedgewood survey when explaining their decisions to withdraw financial support. Other legitimate polls also showed McMorrow trailing, however, making it impossible to determine precisely how much the fabricated survey contributed to her withdrawal.

The investigation that exposed Wedgewood centered on a survey in Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race. The company had published figures showing Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith leading Democrat Scott Colom by just four percentage points, 52% to 48%.

Researchers at FiftyPlusOne requested the underlying survey responses and compared them with results from an independently conducted poll using the same online platform, Pollfish.

The examination uncovered irregularities involving respondent identification numbers and timestamps. Those discrepancies raised doubts about whether the supposed survey responses had actually been collected.

After investigators contacted Wedgewood on October 20, the organization publicly acknowledged that most of its polling results were fictitious.

The company claimed that its operation was designed to expose how easily fabricated polling could influence political coverage.

The New York Times subsequently removed 15 Wedgewood surveys from its election database, while Decision Desk HQ deleted 17 polls from its own listings and averages. Other election-analysis organizations also removed the company’s figures.

The Times said it had questioned Wedgewood about its personnel, methodology, and funding before accepting its surveys. FiftyPlusOne likewise maintained that it had attempted to verify the organization’s legitimacy, including examining its stated research methods and the professional background of one individual identified as a pollster.

The controversy has also attracted the attention of Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, who warned broadcasters about disseminating fabricated election polling. Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez challenged the suggestion that stations could face regulatory consequences merely for reporting polling information they believed to be legitimate.

The scandal follows an earlier case involving Median Strategies, another purported polling organization that admitted in August to publishing fabricated election surveys as a claimed experiment.

{Matzav.com}

Democratic leaders are preparing to launch an aggressive effort to remove War Secretary Pete Hegseth if their party captures control of the House of Representatives in next week’s midterm elections, with senior lawmakers openly threatening investigations, congressional subpoenas, and possible impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump’s Pentagon chief.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado have identified Hegseth as a major target should Democrats regain the majority on November 3. Their statements suggest that the party intends to use its congressional authority to challenge the administration’s military leadership almost immediately after taking control.

“One of the first things we’re going to do in the majority, we’re going to run Pete Hegseth out of town,” Jeffries declared during a recent campaign appearance.

Jeffries reinforced that warning on Sunday, making clear that he believes Trump should remove Hegseth himself rather than leave the matter to a Democratic-controlled Congress.

“Pete Hegseth needs to be pushed aside by the president, or we’re going to have to deal with that situation if he is not,” Jeffries said.

Crow, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, delivered a similar message during an appearance Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” He described Hegseth’s removal as his “priority No. 1” if Democrats succeed in taking back the House.

The public warnings indicate that Hegseth could face extensive congressional scrutiny under a Democratic majority, including demands for internal Defense Department documents, testimony from senior military officials, investigative hearings, and efforts to begin impeachment proceedings.

Democratic criticism of Hegseth has intensified over his management of the Pentagon, his role in military operations involving Iran, and decisions affecting personnel throughout the armed forces.

Rep. Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico has gone so far as to argue that impeaching Hegseth should be among the three highest priorities for House Democrats. Other members of the party have expressed support for a more confrontational approach to overseeing the Pentagon.

The campaign against Hegseth could also attract backing from outside the Democratic Party. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky filed eight articles of impeachment against the secretary in September, alleging that he had exceeded constitutional limits on military action and approved operations that violated congressional war powers.

Although Democrats would need only a simple majority in the House to approve articles of impeachment, that step would not automatically remove Hegseth from office. Conviction in the Senate would require support from two-thirds of senators, making his actual removal considerably more difficult.

The White House has rejected the effort to force Hegseth out, defending his leadership and accusing Democrats of using impeachment threats for partisan purposes.

White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers characterized the campaign as a “sham attempt” to damage Republicans and praised Hegseth for his efforts to rebuild the military and strengthen America’s defense capabilities.

For Trump, the prospect of losing the House would mean that one of his most prominent Cabinet officials could face a sustained confrontation with congressional investigators, potentially diverting significant attention from the administration’s defense agenda.

The increasingly explicit threats against Hegseth also provide an early indication of how Democrats intend to exercise their authority if voters return them to power in the House, with the Pentagon chief emerging as one of their first potential impeachment targets.

The impeachment threat is already taking shape on Capitol Hill. Massie’s eight articles, introduced on September 15, accuse Hegseth of violating the War Powers Resolution during the conflict with Iran, among other alleged abuses of authority. The Kentucky Republican also raised objections to military operations involving Yemen and Venezuela, as well as the Pentagon’s handling of certain constitutional protections.

Massie’s resolution was introduced as a privileged matter, a procedure that can force the House to address it. However, Republican leaders ended the September legislative session without holding a vote, leaving the matter unresolved as lawmakers headed into the election recess.

The House is scheduled to return on November 9, when the impeachment effort could resurface regardless of which party wins the elections. Any newly elected Democratic majority would not take office until January, but the existing resolution could bring the controversy back before Congress much sooner.

Crow’s Sunday remarks came during a discussion of intelligence indicating that Iran had intensified efforts to target American personnel. The Colorado Democrat accused Hegseth of failing to provide adequate protection for U.S. service members and argued that the Pentagon needed different leadership.

Crow also criticized the administration’s dealings with Russia, accusing Moscow of assisting Iran and arguing that Trump’s diplomatic and sanctions policies were making American troops more vulnerable. Those allegations reflect the Democrats’ broader criticism of the administration’s handling of the Iran conflict.

The Pentagon has defended Hegseth’s record and rejected the allegations underlying the impeachment campaign. Administration officials maintain that the secretary has strengthened military readiness and advanced Trump’s national security priorities.

With the elections approaching, the battle over Hegseth is emerging as a preview of the political confrontation that could unfold in Washington next year. Democrats are promising to use congressional power against the Pentagon chief, while the White House is standing behind him and portraying the effort as a politically motivated attack on the president’s administration.

{Matzav.com}

Newly released footage shows Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir warning about Hamas’s expanding military capabilities and urging a more aggressive response to the terrorist organization just three days before the October 7, 2023, massacre.

The video, made public Monday by Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party, documents a visit the minister made to Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 4, 2023. During the visit, he spoke with local security coordinators about the growing danger from Gaza and criticized the Israeli government’s longstanding approach of attempting to contain Hamas rather than confronting it militarily.

The conversation was recorded at 4:26 p.m., with the Gaza Strip visible behind the participants. In a tragic development, both security coordinators who took part in the discussion became victims of the Hamas assault three days later. One was murdered during the attack, while the other sustained serious injuries.

The footage captures Ben Gvir openly discussing differences within the Israeli government over how to respond to Hamas. He argued that the prevailing preference among government officials was to avoid a major military confrontation, even though delaying such a conflict would allow Hamas to accumulate more weapons and become a substantially greater threat.

“A large part of the government wants to avoid a conflict,” he said. “I’m actually one of those who believe we need to confront them, because if we don’t confront them today, we’ll confront them in 10 or 15 years, when they’ll have ten times as many rockets, ten times as much ammunition, and ten times as much power,” the minister said.

Ben Gvir also addressed the security situation along the Gaza border fence, where violent disturbances and attempts to approach the barrier had prompted disagreements over the appropriate response by Israeli forces.

Speaking during Chol Hamoed Sukkos, the minister said he had been challenging senior military officials, including the IDF chief of staff, over the rules governing the use of force against individuals approaching the border.

“I think that even now, during Sukkot, when they approach the fence, and this is something I’m arguing about with the Chief of Staff and security officials, I don’t want to go into too much detail because there are many discussions about it, but I’m one of those who believe we shouldn’t contain them,” he said.

The minister went further, arguing that Israeli forces should be authorized to use live ammunition against individuals approaching the security barrier with the intention of attacking Israel, rather than relying on less-lethal crowd-control measures.

“If they approach the fence and try to harm the State of Israel, we shouldn’t throw gas at them; we should shoot them. Because in any normal country, when someone approaches your fence and wants to destroy the country, you shoot to kill him,” he said.

The timing of the recording gives the remarks particular significance. On October 7, Hamas terrorists launched a massive assault from Gaza, overrunning Israeli border defenses and attacking communities and military installations across southern Israel.

Nahal Oz was among the communities devastated during the invasion, with residents and security personnel facing heavily armed terrorists who penetrated the kibbutz and surrounding military positions.

The footage demonstrates that Ben Gvir had publicly advocated a more confrontational policy toward Hamas immediately before the attack. It does not, however, establish that he had advance knowledge of the specific operation Hamas was preparing.

The decision by Otzma Yehudit to release the recording comes amid continuing debate in Israel over the security failures that preceded October 7 and the responsibility of political and military leaders for the policies followed in the years leading up to the massacre.

The video has also become part of Otzma Yehudit’s election campaign, with the party presenting it as evidence that Ben Gvir had challenged the government’s approach to Hamas before the massacre, rather than adopting a tougher position only after the attack.

In a statement accompanying the recording, the party went further, claiming that the disaster could have been prevented had Ben Gvir been responsible for Israel’s defense establishment.

“If Ben Gvir had been Defense Minister, October 7 would not have happened!” the party declared.

Ben Gvir also shared the footage on social media, drawing attention to the date, location, and precise time of the conversation. He pointed to the fate of the two security coordinators and suggested that the warnings he delivered that afternoon should have been taken more seriously.

The release comes one day before Israel’s October 27 Knesset elections, in which Otzma Yehudit is seeking to strengthen its representation and Ben Gvir has expressed ambitions to become defense minister.

Recent polling has suggested that his party could secure at least eight Knesset seats, making it a potentially important participant in negotiations over the formation of the next government.

The Satmar community in Eretz Yisroel is mourning the passing of Rav Chaim Shalom Klein zt”l, one of the senior rabbonim of the Satmar kehillah in Bnei Brak and a distinguished marbitz Torah for many decades. He was niftar on Monday at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer at the age of 90.

Rav Klein was among the elder and most respected figures of the Satmar community in Bnei Brak, having devoted much of his life to teaching Torah and guiding generations of talmidim. His passing marks the loss of a link to an earlier generation of Torah giants and the formative years of the Satmar community in Eretz Yisroel.

Born on 19 Tishrei 5697 (1936) in Timisoara, Romania, known in Jewish circles as Temeshvar, Rav Klein was the son of Rav Yisroel Klein zt”l, a distinguished Sighet chossid, and Mrs. Liba Klein a”h.

Following the devastation of World War II, he immigrated to Eretz Yisroel with his family, where he continued his Torah education and eventually became a prominent figure in the growing Torah community of Bnei Brak.

As a young bochur, he entered Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin in Bnei Brak, where he distinguished himself through his extraordinary diligence in learning and his dedication to Torah and yiras Shomayim.

During those years, he developed a particularly close relationship with Rav Shmuel Halevi Wosner zt”l, the renowned author of Shevet Halevi, becoming one of his outstanding talmidim.

His abilities as a Torah scholar and teacher were recognized at an unusually young age. While still a chosson, Rav Klein was appointed to deliver shiurim at the Satmar yeshiva in Bnei Brak during the institution’s very first year of operation.

That appointment marked the beginning of a remarkable career in harbotzas haTorah that would continue for decades.

Over the years, Rav Klein taught and influenced countless talmidim, many of whom went on to become accomplished talmidei chachomim, rabbonim, and dayonim. Among his students were individuals who eventually assumed positions of Torah leadership within Satmar communities in both New York and Eretz Yisroel.

In addition to his responsibilities in the yeshiva, he regularly delivered shiurim at the Satmar Bais Medrash Hagadol in Bnei Brak’s Kiryas Satmar neighborhood, where he was regarded as one of the senior rabbonim and elder members of the kehillah.

His Torah knowledge and personal connection to leading gedolei Yisroel extended back to his youth.

During his years as a bochur, Rav Klein merited to spend time in the presence of the Belzer Rebbe, Rav Aharon Rokeach zy”a. He also had the privilege of engaging in lengthy Torah discussions with the Chazon Ish zy”a, experiences that remained part of his connection to the great Torah personalities of the previous generation.

Throughout his life, Rav Klein maintained an exceptionally strong attachment to the Satmar Rebbes.

He was deeply devoted to the Divrei Yoel, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum zy”a, and subsequently maintained a close relationship with his successor, the Berach Moshe, Rav Moshe Teitelbaum zy”a.

In more recent years, he enjoyed a particularly warm relationship with the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, who held him in great esteem and accorded him exceptional honor.

Rav Klein’s longstanding service to the Satmar kehillah, together with his decades of Torah teaching, made him a highly respected figure among the community’s rabbonim and chassidim.

He leaves behind a large family of sons, daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, and further descendants who continue in the path of Torah and Chassidus.

The levaya is scheduled for Monday evening, at 10:30 p.m., departing from the Satmar Bais Medrash Hagadol, Kahal Yetev Lev, at 22 Yismach Moshe Street in Kiryas Satmar, Bnei Brak.

The procession was to continue to the Ponevezh Cemetery in Bnei Brak, where Rav Klein would be laid to rest.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}