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Police have launched an investigation after anonymous individuals threatened to murder Rav Zevadia Cohen if he does not step back from his candidacy for chief rabbi of Tel Aviv.

According to a report by Kan News on Tuesday, officers arrived at the rav’s home in recent days to collect surveillance footage from the surrounding area. This morning, police also conducted a search of his vehicle. The threats allegedly warned that harm would come to him unless he immediately removed his name from consideration for the Tel Aviv rabbanus.

The incident comes just a week after it was reported that Shas is working to advance Rav Cohen’s appointment as the city’s next chief rabbi. That effort has faced resistance from within the Tel Aviv municipality, led by Mayor Ron Huldai, who is said to oppose the move—particularly due to the fact that Rav Cohen did not serve in the IDF.

A recent City Council meeting brought the tensions into public view. Protocols published in Yisrael Hayom, via journalist Yotam Dashe, revealed a heated exchange over the vote to approve representatives to the committee that will ultimately select the new chief rabbi.

During the debate, Huldai sharply criticized the initiative, telling council members that the proposed appointment does not serve the interests of the residents. “We’re talking about a free city. A city that is home to everyone, regardless of their beliefs or worldview. There is no room for religious coercion—not in this city,” he said. “The municipality has no intention of funding a position whose necessity in our day is questionable. We need to invest in education, welfare, transportation—not in politically motivated jobs.”

His comments prompted an immediate outcry from members of Shas and the Jewish Home, who accused the mayor of disrespecting tradition and disregarding the needs of religious residents. “Tel Aviv deserves a chief rabbi just like any other city. The rabbinate does not belong only to the chareidi public; it must serve everyone,” one representative said.

Another council member added that if a rabbi is ultimately chosen, he must be someone who reflects the broader Israeli experience. “If Tel Aviv is going to have a chief rabbi, he needs to be someone who understands Israeli society—who served in it and is part of it. In a city like ours, a rabbi who didn’t serve in the army cannot represent the public. This is an issue of values, not of religion.”

Police say the investigation into the threats against Rav Cohen is ongoing.

{Matzav.com}

The Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, delivered a fierce denunciation of the proposed draft legislation during a special reception held in his honor at the headquarters of the Badatz of the Eida Hachareidis in Yerushalayim on Monday night.

Addressing the looming conscription law—commonly referred to as the Bismuth draft plan—the Rebbe warned that the legislation represents a spiritual threat of the highest order. He told those assembled that he traveled to Israel specifically to stand alongside “the warriors of Hashem” who are fighting against what he described as a disastrous decree.

The Rebbe emphasized that the Torah promises, “ki lo sishachach mi’pi zaro,” insisting that any attempt to enforce mandatory military enlistment on the chareidi public is nothing short of an effort to secularize religious Jews. “All those who impose the draft decree intend only to make the chareidim abandon their faith,” he said. “There are people who are prepared to vote for a law that would send half of the Jewish people in Eretz Yisroel into the army, which is shmad. Anyone who votes for the law is voting to uproot the religion, which is yehareg v’al ya’avor.”

He cautioned that the real danger comes not only from outspoken supporters of the law, but from those within the community who are willing to compromise. According to the Rebbe, such concessions pave the way for spiritual devastation.

The Rebbe also repeated a story he has shared many times over the years, something he heard from his uncle around seventy years ago. His uncle predicted that the day would come when a draft decree would be imposed in Eretz Yisroel and that no chareidi Jew would be able to live under such a “government of destruction.” “That day has arrived,” the Rebbe declared.

After the gathering at the Badatz offices, the Rebbe participated in a reception for the Satmar community in Yerushalayim, held in a large tent on Dorash Tov Street. The event also featured the completion of a new Sefer Torah, written in memory of two Sifrei Torah that were destroyed in a devastating fire two years ago in the Yona Street beis medrash. Following the final letters, the Rebbe lifted the newly completed Torah, and Rav Meir Hirsch, CEO of the Satmar institutions in Kiryas Yoel, was honored with rolling the Sefer Torah.

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הרבי מסאטמר בישראלצילום: א. אייזנבאך ודוד ארזני

הרבי מסאטמר בישראלצילום: א. אייזנבאך ודוד ארזני הרבי מסאטמר בישראלצילום: א. אייזנבאך ודוד ארזני {Matzav.com}

An Israeli drone carried out a strike in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon, with initial reports saying that multiple people were killed. There are also reports of the assassination of Fatah’s leader in Lebanon, Munir Al-Maqdah. The IDF confirmed it struck terrorists operating inside a Hamas training compound in the Ain al-Hilweh […]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday that he will travel to Turkey this week in an attempt to jump-start negotiations on ending Russia’s full-scale invasion, which began nearly four years ago. The Kremlin said that Russia would not be sending anyone to Turkey, and it was not immediately clear if there would be U.S. participation in […]

House overwhelmingly passes bill to release Jeffrey Epstein files • The House overwhelmingly passed a bill ordering the Department of Justice to release all of its files on Jeffrey Epstein. • President Donald Trump, a former Epstein friend who has railed against the focus on the files, abruptly dropped his opposition to the bipartisan bill […]

A dispute between soldiers at an army base in the north over routine duty, specifically over who would clean and who would guard the post, escalated into a violent, prolonged brawl that included chairs being thrown. The forces involved in the clash were from Combat Engineering and the Givati Brigade. The IDF condemned the incident, […]

The House voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to compel the Department of Justice to disclose its investigative records on Jeffrey Epstein, passing the measure in a 425–1 landslide. The effort drew broad bipartisan support even as some lawmakers raised warnings about the structure of the bill.

During a press conference earlier in the day, House Speaker Mike Johnson made clear that he would support the measure, saying, “I’m gonna vote to move this forward,” though he did not hide his objections, calling the legislation “recklessly flawed.” He added that the House GOP was prepared to back it for the sake of transparency while still insisting on major corrections, explaining, “I think it could be close to a unanimous vote because everybody here, all the Republicans, want to go on record to show for maximum transparency. But they also want to know that we’re demanding that this stuff get corrected before it has ever moved through the process and is complete.”

The legislative push was driven by Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Rep. Ro Khanna of California, who have been pressing for the release of the Epstein documents for months. Their campaign reached a turning point when a majority of the House signed a discharge petition last week, forcing the issue onto the floor over leadership objections.

Freshman Democrat Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona provided the crucial 218th signature that finalized the petition. Her signature had been delayed while her swearing-in was stalled during the government shutdown, leading Democrats to accuse Johnson of intentionally slowing the process. Johnson rejected those allegations, insisting that her oath would not take place until the government reopened and that he intended to bring the vote anyway.

With the House now finished, the legislation heads to the Senate. Johnson told reporters he has already spoken to Senate Majority Leader John Thune in the hopes that senators will tighten the bill’s language. He recounted the conversation, saying, “I called my counterpart in the Senate, Leader Thune, and I talked him through this with him and shared our deep concerns, and of course, they share those concerns as well. And so I’m very confident that when this moves forward in the process, if and when it is processed in the Senate – which it’s no certainty that that will be – that they will take the time methodically to do what we’ve not been allowed to do in the House, to amend this discharge petition and to make sure that these protections are there.”

At the White House on Monday, President Donald Trump expressed full support for making the documents public if the bill reaches him. He said he is “all for it,” adding, “We’ll give them everything. Sure. I would let them, let the Senate look at it. Let anybody look at it,” before cautioning reporters, “But don’t talk about it too much, because honestly, I don’t want to take it away from us.”

Under the proposal, the Justice Department would be required to publish the Epstein investigative materials within 30 days, shielding the identities of victims through redaction.

{Matzav.com}

Guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57) sails in between two Israeli Navy corvette ships during an exercise in the U.S. Central Command operating area, Nov. 13. The United States and Israel maintain strong maritime ties that promote regional security and stability.

BREAKING: U.S. House approves bill to force the release of the Epstein files, sending it to the Senate.

NETANYAHU: We have hit Iran’s terror axis from every direction over the past two years, and we are not done; our hand is still extended, as it must be.

Large active fire in Holon near gas cylinders. Six fire crews are currently on site, conducting searches to ensure no one is trapped. Video for YWN via Tuvia Yagelnik.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ignited an immediate political and legal firestorm on Tuesday by declaring both the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations to be foreign terrorist organizations as well as transnational criminal organizations.

According to the governor’s office, the action gives Texas law-enforcement agencies sweeping authority to escalate monitoring, investigations, and other enforcement measures. Officials said the designation blocks the two groups and any affiliated entities from acquiring land anywhere in the state and opens the door to further legal steps.

In announcing the order, Abbott accused the organizations of pursuing extremist aims, asserting that they “have long made their goals clear: to forcibly impose Shariah law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world.'” He insisted that their attempts to “subvert our laws through violence, intimidation, and harassment are unacceptable.”

CAIR pushed back sharply, telling the Houston Chronicle that it is weighing possible legal action and dismissing the governor’s move as a “publicity stunt” driven by election-year politics. The group condemned the order in strong terms, saying, “By defaming a prominent American Muslim institution with debunked conspiracy theories and made-up quotes, Mr. Abbott has once again shown that his top priority is advancing anti-Muslim bigotry, not serving the people of Texas.”

Civil-rights advocates noted that while certain offshoots of the Muslim Brotherhood — including Hamas — are designated by the federal government, neither the larger Muslim Brotherhood movement nor CAIR has been labeled a terrorist group at the national level, the Chronicle reported.

Supporters of Abbott’s move argue that it confronts what they describe as increasing risks from hostile foreign networks seeking influence inside the United States. They maintain the step is overdue and necessary to protect state security.

Opponents counter that the order undermines religious liberty and endangers Muslim communities across Texas. Earlier this year, CAIR accused Abbott of fueling hostility toward Muslims by referencing supposed “Shariah cities” and housing projects, saying that such rhetoric has intensified anti-Muslim sentiment statewide.

How this new designation will interact with federal classifications — or withstand judicial scrutiny — remains uncertain. Legal experts point out that states rarely attempt to label foreign terrorist organizations on their own, raising questions about enforceability and the likelihood of significant constitutional challenges ahead.

{Matzav.com}

Meta has prevailed over an existential challenge to its business that could have forced the tech giant to spin off Instagram and WhatsApp after a judge ruled that the company does not hold a monopoly in social networking. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued his ruling Tuesday after the historic antitrust trial wrapped up in […]

Details of the terror attack at the Gush Etzion Junction has now been cleared for release, confirming that 65-year-old Aharon Cohen of Kiryat Arba was killed in the brutal stabbing and ramming assault. A respected and familiar presence in his community for decades, he leaves behind six children and grandchildren. His levayah is scheduled to depart at 21:00 from the eulogy hall in Industrial Zone A.

As word spread, the Municipality of Kiryat Arba-Hebron issued an emotional statement expressing the pain felt throughout the city: “The Kiryat Arba-Hebron community bows its head and shares in the grief of the Cohen family following the murder by evildoers of Aharon Cohen, may God avenge his blood, a resident of Kiryat Arba-Hebron and one of the city’s longtime members. On behalf of all the residents, we send our sincerest condolences to the dear family and embrace them warmly in this difficult hour.”

The casualties extended beyond the fatality. A woman in her 40s suffered severe injuries, while a man in his 30s and a 15-year-old boy were moderately hurt. Emergency teams transported the victims to Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Hadassah Ein Kerem. Security forces confirmed that the two attackers—both from the nearby Palestinian town of Beit Ummar—were neutralized at the scene.

Investigators say the assault began when the terrorists attempted to ram pedestrians at the busy junction. After crashing, they emerged with knives and continued their attack on bystanders. Armed civilians, along with reservists from the IDF’s 7491 Battalion, responded quickly and shot the assailants. A subsequent search of their vehicle uncovered several pipe bombs, according to the IDF.

In the wake of the attack, Gush Etzion Regional Council head Yaron Rosenthal linked the violence to international developments, sharply criticizing the UN Security Council resolution supported by Washington. “Once again, terror raises its head—less than 24 hours after the UN passed a resolution intended to eventually legitimize a Palestinian state, which would benefit those seeking to destroy us. It is time to act against terror in Judea and Samaria just as we have done in Gaza,” he said.

The Yesha Council delivered a similarly stark warning, arguing that the government’s hesitation on applying sovereignty has emboldened extremists. “When the State of Israel silently allows a ‘pathway to a Palestinian state,’ terror resurfaces. We have said all along: it is either sovereignty or a Palestinian state. The Israeli government avoided sovereignty, and we now face winds filling the sails of a terror state in the heart of our land. We call on the chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MK Boaz Bismuth, to immediately advance the sovereignty bill that passed its preliminary reading and must now be urgently promoted in his committee.”

Responding from abroad, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the assault and voiced solidarity with Israel. “Terrorists murdered an innocent man – may his memory be a blessing – and injured several others in a vicious attack near Gush Etzion Junction today. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel and fully condemn these cowardly acts of savage violence. Janet and I pray for the victims and their families.”

The attack has deepened grief across the region and reignited debate over security, diplomacy, and sovereignty—questions that now intensify in the shadow of yet another act of terror.

{Matzav.com}

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stepped into the White House on Tuesday for a high-profile meeting with President Donald Trump, a conversation framed by shifting alliances and a major new weapons agreement.

The sit-down came just 24 hours after Trump publicly confirmed that the United States would move ahead with Saudi Arabia’s request to purchase advanced F-35 stealth jets—an approval that immediately reverberated across the region.

Before the meeting, Trump addressed reporters and offered sweeping praise for the crown prince, commending his record on “human rights” and saying he is “very proud” of the changes bin Salman has overseen.

Pressed by an ABC correspondent about the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Trump pushed back at criticism. He argued that Khashoggi was “extremely controversial” and insisted that the crown prince “knew nothing about it.”

The same reporter later asked bin Salman about the role of Saudi citizens in the September 11 attacks. The crown prince responded by explaining that one of Osama bin Laden’s objectives was to damage ties between Washington and Riyadh.

During the broader media exchange, Trump pivoted to the Israeli-Palestinian arena, declaring that “the Palestinians like me” and claiming they are “doing very well.” He added that U.S. policy in the region is leaving Israelis and Palestinian Arabs “Very happy.”

When questioned about whether the F-35s bound for Riyadh would match the capabilities of Israel’s fleet, Trump replied, “I think they will be pretty similar, yeah.”

He went on to emphasize the importance of both nations, saying Saudi Arabia “is a great ally, and Israel is a great ally.” Trump noted that Israelis would prefer Saudi Arabia receive jets “of reduced caliber,” adding, “I don’t think that makes you too happy.”

Still, Trump said he believes that both Israel and Saudi Arabia “are at a level where they should get top-of-the-line” aircraft and insisted that “Israel is aware and they’re going to be very happy” with the arrangement.

During the conversation, bin Salman made clear that Riyadh is seeking a diplomatic breakthrough of its own: “We want to be part of the Abraham Accords, but we want also to be sure that we secure a clear path for the Two State Solution.”

Trump offered his own assessment of the crown prince’s intentions, noting that he believes bin Salman has a “very good feeling” about advancing the Abraham Accords.

{Matzav.com}

A man was detained by Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport after claiming he had a bomb in his bag at Terminal 4. The threat prompted evacuations of both the upper and lower levels of the terminal so the bomb squad could sweep the area. Officials confirmed airport operations remain unaffected, though […]

The NTSB is set to vote today on the official cause of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, which killed six workers after the cargo ship Dali lost power and slammed into a support column in March 2024. The vote comes as Maryland more than doubled the projected rebuild cost to up to $5.2 billion […]

Reporter: Is it appropriate for your family to do business with Saudi Arabia while you’re president? The U.S. intelligence concluded you orchestrated the murder of a journalist. Trump: Who are you with? Reporter: ABC News Trump: ABC Fake news. I have nothing to do with the family business. You mentioned somebody extremely controversial a lot […]

A federal court on Tuesday blocked Texas from using a redrawn U.S. House map that touched off a nationwide redistricting battle and is a major piece of President Donald Trump’s efforts to preserve a slim Republican majority ahead of the 2026 elections. Texas this summer was the first state to meet Trump’s demands in what […]

Trump to MBS : I want to thank you because you’ve agreed to invest $600 billion into the United States. And because he’s my friend, he might make it $1 trillion, but I’m going to have to work on him.