Feed aggregator

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi revealed that his agency’s teams remain shut out of Iran’s primary nuclear complexes—Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow—sites that were struck during American military operations in June. Speaking with the Austrian outlet Die Presse, as cited by Middle East Monitor, Grossi noted that while some inspectors are still physically present in Iran, their work at these heavily damaged locations has been halted since the attacks.

Grossi described the aftermath bluntly, saying, “The main facilities suffered extensive damage, and inspections were impossible for security reasons.” He confirmed that access to Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow “remains unavailable,” emphasizing that the IAEA still has no ability to perform its technical monitoring at those sites.

The situation spiraled after mid-June, when Israel initiated a sweeping aerial assault on Iranian targets, triggering nearly two weeks of warfare. The United States entered the conflict briefly, launching coordinated strikes on several Iranian nuclear installations. In response, Tehran cut off cooperation with the IAEA, accusing the agency of taking sides and refusing to denounce the strikes—moves that effectively shut down all post-attack inspection efforts.

Efforts to restore oversight collapsed further when a September accord between Iran and the IAEA—meant to revive site access and restart uranium tracking—was tossed aside by Tehran. The agreement was scrapped after the E3 (Britain, France, and Germany) reinstated UN sanctions that had been lifted under the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has since doubled down on the government’s position that no IAEA personnel will be allowed into the bombed-out facilities unless a new, explicit arrangement is crafted. “The facilities that were attacked have their own story, and until a decision is made and a conclusion is reached between us, the IAEA and others, cooperation is not possible,” Araghchi said.

Despite the deadlock, Grossi said last week that the UN agency is determined to reestablish full interaction with Tehran. He stressed that the IAEA aims to “restore continuity of knowledge” and regain comprehensive access to Iran’s nuclear program to verify what has taken place in the months since inspectors were barred.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH:

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has decided to appoint his military secretary, Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman, as the next Mossad chief after interviewing various candidates for the position, his office announced on Thursday. Gofman will replace current Mossad chief David Barnea, who will conclude his five-year term in June 2026. Netanyahu praised Gofman as a “highly […]

WATCH:

Two residents of Kafr Kanna, an Arab-Israeli town in the Galil, were arrested after they were seen photographing the home of the mother of the Minister for the Negev, Galil, and National Resilience, Yitzchak Wasserlauf, in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. According to the report, they were seen photographing the house from several angles the […]

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1647-Chikuy-Part-47-Alone.mp3

​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

 

 

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Stories4Life-Shiur-509-My-Home-Brisker-Rav.mp3

Ran Gvili, H’yd, is the only slain hostage still being held by Hamas in Gaza following the return of the remains of Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak on Wednesday. Following Israel’s announcement confirming Rinthalak’s identification, The Tikva Forum, a right-wing group founded by families of the hostages, stated, “We share in the grief of the family […]

Military and Foreign Ministry officials informed the family of Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak that his body has been returned to Israel after forensic experts completed identification. Rinthalak, an agricultural worker from Thailand, was murdered by Hamas terrorists near Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, and his body was taken to Gaza. Only one slain hostage’s […]

Israel announced early Thursday that the remains of Thai hostage Sudthisak Rinthalak have been brought back to the country, concluding a painstaking identification process that involved multiple national agencies. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, “After the identification process was completed by the National Center of Forensic Medicine, in cooperation with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, the Coordinator for Prisoners and Missing Persons, representatives of the IDF, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the family of deceased hostage Sudthisak Rinthalak, that their loved one has been returned to Israel and his identification finalized.”

Officials notified the family that preparations for Rinthalak’s return to Thailand will be handled jointly with Bangkok’s representatives. The PMO added, “The Coordinator for Prisoners and Missing Persons, Brig. Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, informed Sudthisak’s family that arrangements for his return for burial in his homeland will be carried out in coordination with the Embassy of Thailand in Israel, and that the Government of Israel shares in the deep grief of the Rinthalak family, of the Thai people, and of all the families of the deceased hostages.”

Rinthalak, a 42-year-old agricultural worker, was among the many foreign laborers attacked on October 7, 2023. He was seized while working in Kibbutz Be’eri’s orchards and murdered by Islamic Jihad operatives, who then transported his body into Gaza. His parents and his brother now grieve his loss.

Even as his remains were identified, Israel continues to pursue the recovery of others. Gaza terror groups are still in possession of the body of Yassam officer Ran Gvili.

The latest developments come after Israeli forces received the body of another murdered hostage on Wednesday evening, following a transfer from the Red Cross. Once the remains entered Israel, they were immediately sent to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine for examination.

Earlier Wednesday, Islamic Jihad claimed its operatives had come across the corpse of a hostage in Beit Lahiya during activities in the northern part of the Strip. The group asserted that its members had discovered the body while operating in the area.

This followed Tuesday’s handover of remains by Hamas, which Israel later determined were not connected to any of the hostages taken on October 7.

Just days ago, Israel recovered the body of Dror Or, another victim abducted from Be’eri during the October 7 massacre and held in Gaza until his remains were returned.

{Matzav.com}

Israel has identified the body of Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak, murdered during the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led massacre and returned to Israeli authorities on Wednesday. Rinthalak, a young agricultural worker from Thailand, was gunned down near Kibbutz Be’eri on the morning of October 7. Terrorists dragged his body into Gaza, one of several foreign laborers […]

A wave of anguish and frustration swept through advocates and supporters today after Mordy Berkowitz was handed a six-year prison sentence, prompting the leadership of Tzedek to issue a sharply worded statement condemning what they described as a deeply unjust outcome.

The ruling came despite the judge openly acknowledging how impressed he was by the sweeping accountability campaign that Berkowitz launched over the past three years with Tzedek’s guidance.

In the Tzedek statement, Rabbi Moshe Margaretten expressed “great pain” at the sentencing, emphasizing that Berkowitz had already spent the past three years in strict home confinement while devoting himself to public education, outreach, and a national campaign urging people never to drink and drive. According to the organization, nearly 50,000 individuals signed pledges committing to change their behavior, a response Tzedek has described as unprecedented and a powerful kiddush Hashem. Yet prosecutors insisted on seeking a decade behind bars, a decision that Rabbi Margaretten said ignored the sincere repentance, the tangible impact of the campaign, and the pleas of those directly affected by the tragedy.

Tzedek noted with particular distress that the victims and their families had personally asked the court for mercy, urging leniency and expressing that additional prison time would not bring healing. The statement also pointed out that in a neighboring county, cases with similar circumstances have resulted in little to no incarceration, underscoring what they see as stark inconsistency and disproportionate punishment. “This sentence is extraordinarily harsh and deeply unfair,” Rabbi Margaretten wrote, adding that the outcome stands in sharp contrast to the transformative work Berkowitz has undertaken.

According to Tzedek, the judge repeatedly praised the accountability initiative, recognizing the sincerity and the scope of the public-safety effort. Nevertheless, the final sentence left the organization stunned. “Mordy has shown more responsibility, remorse, and dedication to protecting others than anyone could have demanded,” a Tzedek representative said. “What more could he possibly have done?” Their statement emphasized that Berkowitz’s campaign did not seek to excuse what happened, but to prevent other families from ever enduring similar heartbreak.

Rabbi Margaretten vowed that the fight is not over. “Tzedek will not stop until justice is done,” he wrote, assuring the community that all avenues will be pursued to challenge what the group sees as a miscarriage of justice. He urged the public to continue their tefillos, stating that with Hashem’s help, “we will succeed.” The organization maintains that this case is about more than one sentence—it is about whether sincere accountability, genuine change, and overwhelming communal support are recognized by the justice system or disregarded.

Rabbi Margaretten closed his message with a promise that this effort will continue until fairness is restored and justice is truly served.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu used his appearance at the New York Times’ Dealbook forum on Wednesday to deliver a forceful message about Israel’s direction, the dangers posed by Iran and its allies, and his refusal to waver on core national positions.

In a wide-ranging conversation with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Netanyahu portrayed this moment as a pivotal one, insisting that “history beckons” and that Israel must act with clarity and strength. He brushed aside the legal proceedings against him, characterizing them as irrelevant noise compared to the country’s overarching challenges.

Netanyahu tied recent battlefield gains in Gaza directly to Israel’s broader security outlook. He pointed to the UN Security Council’s vote on President Donald Trump’s peace plan as part of a larger diplomatic framework, but stressed that military pressure is the true engine behind stability and hostage recoveries. He credited the operational campaign together with American backing for shifting the reality on the ground.

“The battering that the Iran axis received opens up many possibilities,” Netanyahu told Sorkin, explaining that Israeli forces reached deep into Hamas’s strongholds. “We went into the last stronghold of Hamas in Gaza City. They didn’t believe we’d do it… And the combination of those two pressures brought Hamas to its senses.”

He reaffirmed his long-held belief that deterrence is the cornerstone of peace in the region. “In our neighborhood, and I venture to say now in all the areas of the world, the way you achieve peace is peace through strength,” Netanyahu said. “If you’re weak, you invite aggression, and nobody makes peace with the weak. You make peace with the strong.”

Sorkin pressed him on the Saudi position that ties normalization with Israel to a pathway toward Palestinian statehood. Netanyahu flatly rejected this linkage, pointing to Gaza as evidence of what he views as the failure of territorial concessions. “There was a Palestinian state. It’s called Gaza. That’s exactly what it was,” he said. “We didn’t get peace. What we got was the most horrific massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.”

He emphasized that the Israeli political system overwhelmingly agrees with him. According to Netanyahu, nearly the entire Knesset—99 members—opposes any arrangement that leaves Israel vulnerable. He faulted Palestinian leadership and educational systems for perpetuating incitement. “People say, look, there has to be a solution with the Palestinians. But it’s not one in which they don’t recognize the Jewish state… They indoctrinate their children with textbooks that are calling for children to become suicide bombers.”

Turning to the Palestinian Authority, Netanyahu dismissed the idea of granting it power in Gaza, arguing that the PA is “very corrupt” and unable to maintain democratic norms. “They cannot pay terrorists to kill more Jews,” he added.

Netanyahu then addressed the global climate surrounding Israel, delivering a fierce denunciation of the International Criminal Court while tying antisemitic rhetoric today to anti-Jewish myths of centuries past. “The same lies that were leveled at the Jewish people are now being leveled at the Jewish state,” he said, refuting accusations against the IDF’s conduct. “We don’t carpet bomb. We don’t do Dresden… We send our soldiers, some of whom die, trying to clear out these booby traps.”

The interview touched on New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s warning that Netanyahu could face arrest if he visits New York under the ICC’s warrant. Netanyahu brushed it aside with characteristic defiance. “Yes, of course I will [come to New York],” he said.

He also spoke openly about seeking a pardon from President Herzog, describing his corruption case as a “witch hunt” rooted in trivialities. “I received a Bugs Bunny doll 29 years ago, and I received some cigars and champagne bottles. That’s what this trial is about,” Netanyahu remarked, calling the proceedings a massive waste of time. “I think history beckons… The needs of Israel are such that to spend another two, three years in this nonsense where this trial has just collapsed, it’s become a joke.”

Even with the turmoil abroad and at home, Netanyahu conveyed deep confidence about where Israel is headed—especially in areas like AI, innovation, and national development. For him, the prerequisite for all of it is security, and on that front he vowed to continue leading the nation.

“When history is within reach, you don’t step aside. You step forward. And that’s what I’m doing,” Netanyahu said, ending the conversation with a pledge. “We will change the face of the Middle East. We will win this war.”

{Matzav.com}

Hillary Clinton used her appearance at the Yisroel Hayom conference in New York to issue a pointed warning about how young Americans are forming their opinions about Israel and the war in Gaza. She argued that a powerful wave of online distortion is shaping perceptions in profoundly damaging ways, driven largely by short-form video platforms.

Clinton said she was stunned to learn how many “smart, well-educated” young people rely almost exclusively on TikTok and other social media apps to understand Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 assault and the ensuing conflict. According to her, “That is where they were learning about what happened on Oct. 7, what happened in the days, weeks, and months to follow,” a trend she described as “a serious problem” for both Israel and “for democracy” in America.

She said the speed with which misinformation spread after the massacre left many young viewers with a completely inverted sense of events, noting that the story was flipped “upside down” by the rush of deceptive content that flooded social platforms.

Clinton emphasized that this is not simply a partisan battle, but a generational one. She warned that the “battle for the historical narrative” is being lost in the whirlwind of viral videos and algorithm-curated feeds.

The distortion, she said, is particularly potent among young Americans who never learned the basic history of the region. As a professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, she pointed out that students with no foundation in Middle East history are especially susceptible to manipulation.

She added that the confusion extends far beyond activist circles, explaining that even young Jewish Americans have been caught up in the digital fog because they “don’t know the history and don’t understand.”

Clinton called the period following the release of Israeli hostages an important moment to reassess, saying it is time to “take stock of where we are, both in Israel and in this country, learn the lessons that perhaps can help us determine a more productive future.”

She warned that concerns about Israel’s reputation and the “significant increase in antisemitism in real life and online” are very real, saying, “There is a great deal of valid concern about how Israel is viewed, not just around the world, but from the United States, how Jewish Americans are viewed.”

Her comments also lined up with arguments long made by conservatives, who have insisted that social media platforms act not as neutral “platforms” but as powerful gatekeepers that shape what millions accept as reality.

Clinton stressed that the crisis is bigger than the current war. With more than half of young Americans consuming news primarily through social media, she argued, core democratic functions are weakened because the public no longer shares a common factual baseline.

Her speech reflected bipartisan anxieties about foreign propaganda, coordinated disinformation campaigns, and adversarial states exploiting open platforms to sow discord.

At the Yisroel Hayom summit, she distilled the problem sharply: if Americans cannot distinguish truth from fiction online — or lack the historical grounding to evaluate what they are shown — then those pushing falsehoods win by default.

In Clinton’s view, that is exactly what is happening now, carried forward “one viral clip at a time.”

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. imposed sanctions Wednesday on alleged affiliates of the Tren de Aragua gang and increased the reward to as much as $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of one of the leaders of the criminal group that the Trump administration has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. The actions come […]

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has escalated his efforts to scrutinize special counsel Jack Smith’s work, issuing a formal subpoena that orders him to sit for a deposition and turn over documents connected to his investigations of President Trump.

In the letter sent with the subpoena, Jordan wrote, “Due to your service as Special Counsel, the Committee believes that you possess information that is vital to its oversight of this matter,” making clear that Smith’s firsthand knowledge is now central to the committee’s probe.

Jordan first sought Smith’s voluntary cooperation back in October, requesting both an interview and access to internal records. Those overtures followed months of criticism from the Ohio Republican, who has repeatedly accused Smith and his team of overreach.

Smith, for his part, has vigorously defended the federal cases he brought, maintaining that a jury would have convicted the 45th and 47th president for allegedly conspiring to overturn the 2020 election and for retaining national security documents at Mar-a-Lago — “had Trump not won a second non-consecutive term last year.”

Under the terms of the subpoena, Smith must hand over the requested documents by Dec. 12 and appear for a deposition on Dec. 17, setting up a high-stakes confrontation between the special counsel and House Republicans.

Jordan’s inquiry has expanded in recent months, with former top aides to Smith also coming under scrutiny. In November, the chairman referred Thomas Windom, Smith’s onetime senior assistant, to the Justice Department for possible prosecution.

Smith has previously signaled a willingness to address lawmakers publicly. He offered to testify before both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, an offer that was not accepted.

Jordan’s investigators typically insist on private depositions before allowing public appearances, prompting pushback from Smith’s legal team. In response to the subpoena, Smith’s attorney Peter Koski said, “We are disappointed that offer was rejected, and that the American people will be denied the opportunity to hear directly from Jack on these topics.”

Koski added that “Jack looks forward to meeting with the committee later this month to discuss his work and clarify the various misconceptions about his investigation.”

Beyond testimony, Jordan’s subpoena requires Smith to submit communications and records related to his tenure as special counsel, ensuring the committee gains access to a broad array of internal material.

The demand comes as fresh disclosures about Smith’s probe continue to surface, including details that the FBI’s Arctic Frost investigation — which Smith assumed — had obtained phone records belonging to 10 Republican lawmakers.

{Matzav.com}

Last month, Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) sounded the alarm to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio about one of his constituents being held in an Iranian prison. The congressman wrote to Rubio again this month, but this time, Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) joined him in the letter.

The two asked Rubio to use “all available tools” to get Iran to release Kamran Hekmati, imprisoned for “attending his son’s bar mitzvah in Israel 13 years ago.” The lawmakers said Hekmati has aggressive bladder cancer and should be released “immediately on humanitarian grounds.”

Hekmati, 70, who holds both U.S. and Iranian citizenship and is a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals of the village of Great Neck Estates, was imprisoned earlier this year while visiting relatives in Iran. The lawmakers said that Hekmati had made that trip several times “without issue” until now.

In a letter to Rubio released on Monday, Suozzi and Tenney said Hekmati’s “alleged crime was attending his son’s bar mitzvah in Israel 13 years ago,” and the United States should use “all available tools to secure his safe and immediate return.”

The lawmakers also requested that the U.S. State Department and White House update them on efforts to obtain Hekmati’s release.

“This case has deeply alarmed residents across New York, particularly within the large Persian Jewish community on Long Island,” they wrote. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Trump “stands by” Hegseth following CNN reporting on watchdog report, White House says The White House said today that President Donald Trump “stands by” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth following reporting on an inspector general report about his sharing of highly sensitive attack plans in a Signal chat. “This review affirms what the Administration has said from the […]

You don’t see this every day! As heavy rain drenched Malta, a limited-edition, million-dollar McLaren Senna supercar was seen driving through flooded streets during the storm.

Rep. Henry Cuellar: I’m a conservative Democrat, I work across the lines, and I want to see President Trump succeed. It’s good for the country. We might have differences, but if I can work with him I will.