A sharp internal dispute erupted Wednesday night within the chareidi political establishment, as a senior chareidi official involved in legislative negotiations accused Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth of providing misleading assurances regarding the legal viability of the revised Chok HaGiyus.
The tensions surfaced hours after Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara issued a forceful legal opinion rejecting central components of the proposed draft law and its framework for regulating the status of bnei yeshivos. Her stance, while expected, ignited renewed criticism of the legislative process.
According to senior chareidi officials familiar with the behind-the-scenes discussions, the Attorney General’s position came as no surprise. “It was predictable. We knew this was her view. There was never any doubt she would argue that the law is unconstitutional and unequal,” the officials said, noting that no meaningful attempt was made to coordinate with her. “She wants to topple the government, so what’s written in the law is irrelevant.”
But what caught chareidi lawmakers truly off guard was the position of the Knesset’s own legal adviser to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Miri Frenkel-Shor.
A senior chareidi figure expressed anger over what he described as misleading assurances from Bismuth. “Throughout the past two months, Bismuth told us that every clause in the law was coordinated with the committee’s legal adviser, that there would be no surprises. But it appears he lied to us. No less than that,” the official charged.
He pointed to Frenkel-Shor’s firm rejection of the very first core section of the legislation—specifically the attempt to incorporate security-oriented civilian service into the draft quotas. “When the adviser says ‘absolutely not’ on the central opening section, it shows he wasn’t actually in sync with her,” the senior official said. “And this is just the beginning. At this rate, there won’t be a law. We won’t pass legislation that stands in direct opposition to the Knesset’s legal advisers. The damage outweighs any gain.”
Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s detailed fifteen-page opinion, addressed directly to Bismuth, blasted the proposal for prioritizing the needs of the yeshivos over the pressing needs of the defense establishment.
Among her statements, she wrote: “In the described reality, reviewing the committee chair’s proposal shows that not only does it fail to advance the enlistment of the chareidi public into military service, but it contains a negative incentive for enlistment and anchors, for the long term, the inequality between those who serve and those who do not—while deepening it.”
She further argued: “In practice, the proposal rolls back the tools currently available to the government and the army compared to the existing legal framework, undermining the ability to meet the military’s current needs.”
Baharav-Miara contended that the law caters primarily to the yeshivah world by immediately restoring direct and indirect funding, reinstating benefits to bnei yeshivos, canceling draft notices and enforcement measures for draft evaders, and re-establishing the framework that binds chareidi young men to yeshivos until age 26 as a condition for exemption.
At the same time, she stated, the bill fails to provide the military or the state with any effective mechanisms for enforcing enlistment or alleviating the burden currently borne by the reserve corps.
Her opinion concludes that the proposal falls far short of constitutional requirements regarding proportionality, equality, and legitimate purpose. “Its harm to equality is severe,” she wrote, adding that minor revisions will not be sufficient. Instead, she called for a “fundamental overhaul,” beginning with the principle of equal and universal conscription.
{Matzav.com}
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez intensified his criticism of the Gaza war during Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to Madrid on Wednesday, declaring that anyone responsible for the devastation there “must be held accountable.” His comments, quoted by Anadolu, framed justice as the only path toward lasting peace.
The meeting took place at La Moncloa Palace, where Sanchez welcomed the Palestinian Authority chairman on a day he said carried deep meaning: the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He underscored that human dignity remains “an unconditional, unique and non-negotiable value.”
Calling 2025 “a terrible year for the Palestinian people,” Sanchez described the near-total destruction across the Strip, saying that nine out of ten homes have become uninhabitable and that “thousands of lives and families” have been shattered. He argued that the current ceasefire has provided little relief to civilians. “Even today, after the ceasefire (declaration), Palestinians in Gaza are still suffering attacks … We need real peace. Those responsible for this genocide must be held accountable,” he said.
Although Sanchez avoided naming Israel in his remarks, he has become one of Europe’s most vocal critics of Israeli policy. He has repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, drawing sharp responses from Jerusalem and creating diplomatic strain.
The tension worsened in November 2023, when Israel summoned Spain’s Ambassador after Sanchez asserted that “Israel is violating international law and is carrying out indiscriminate killings in Gaza.” Months later, in April, he charged that Israel’s “disproportionate response” risked “destabilizing the Middle East, and as a consequence, the entire world.”
During Abbas’ visit, Sanchez outlined Spain’s ongoing approach to the conflict, calling for sustained public attention to the Palestinian plight, backing the Palestinian Authority as it attempts to structure governance, and coordinating with European, Arab, and global partners to create security conditions that could “end violence once and for all.”
He closed the meeting with a message of solidarity, declaring that “Spain and Palestine will always walk hand in hand,” and expressing hope that Abbas’ time in Madrid would reinforce dialogue, elevate diplomatic solutions within the framework of international law, and broaden cooperation between the two sides.
Spain, along with Norway and Ireland, formally recognized the “State of Palestine” in May 2024, cementing its role as one of the most vocal European advocates for Palestinian statehood.
{Matzav.com}
In a sweeping escalation of the border strategy launched at the start of President Donald Trump’s term, the administration on Wednesday unveiled yet another federally controlled defense zone—this time covering a wide expanse of California’s boundary with Mexico. The decision adds the Golden State to a rapidly growing network of militarized sectors along the southern border.
According to the Department of the Interior, responsibility for most of California’s borderlands will now shift to the Navy, a move the agency says reinforces “the historic role public lands have played in safeguarding national sovereignty.” Officials characterized the region as a corridor heavily used by those attempting to cross into the United States unlawfully, making it, in their view, a logical addition to the expanding defense grid.
The designation hands on-the-ground authority to military bases situated near the border. Troops stationed there will now be able to detain individuals who cross illegally—powers that would normally be restricted by federal law preventing the military from engaging in civilian law enforcement. The administration maintains that the national emergency declared by President Donald Trump on his first day in office provides the legal foundation for this shift.
This California zone follows the blueprint introduced earlier this year, first along a 170-mile section of New Mexico’s frontier and later extended into parts of Texas and Arizona. The newest stretch spans nearly the entire length from the Arizona border westward to the Otay Mountain Wilderness, cutting through the Imperial Valley and passing communities such as Tecate, California, directly across from its Mexican counterpart.
More than 7,000 troops are currently positioned along the southern border, supported by drones, helicopters, and broad surveillance systems. Under the rules governing these militarized areas, U.S. forces are allowed to detain people accused of trespassing onto Air Force, Army, or Navy installations. Individuals picked up within these zones may also face enhanced criminal penalties, including possible jail time.
Federal officials argue that the additional layers of military oversight are essential for tightening weak points in border security and disrupting human smuggling operations and powerful drug cartels. As Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said, “By working with the Navy to close long-standing security gaps, we are strengthening national defense, protecting our public lands from unlawful use, and advancing the President’s agenda.”
The announcement came just hours after a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration must halt its deployment of California National Guard troops to Los Angeles, ordering that control of those forces revert to state leaders. That legal battle erupted after more than 4,000 California Guard members were activated in June without the approval of Gov. Gavin Newsom, a move the state argued was an unlawful attempt to draw them into federal immigration enforcement efforts.
{Matzav.com}
