In a dramatic overnight development, police arrested the IDF’s chief military prosecutor, Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, and the army’s recently retired chief military prosecutor, Colonel Matan Solomesh, on suspicion of leaking classified information and committing other serious criminal offenses.
The arrests came roughly a week after details of the investigation were first exposed. Tomer-Yerushalmi, who had been missing for several hours before being found alive on Sunday, was taken into custody late last night. Solomesh was detained shortly afterward. Both are expected to appear today before the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court for a remand hearing.
According to police, the arrests were made amid growing suspicions that Tomer-Yerushalmi was behind the leak of a video allegedly documenting abuse at the Sde Teiman detention facility. Investigators believe she later filed a false affidavit to the High Court of Justice, claiming it was impossible to determine who had leaked the footage.
Authorities suspect that Tomer-Yerushalmi may have staged her disappearance to dispose of her cellphone, which allegedly contains crucial evidence related to the investigation. Her apparent disappearance triggered a large-scale search operation after she left a note at her home and could not be reached. Later in the evening, she reportedly contacted her husband from another phone, but her personal device has not yet been recovered.
Police confirmed the arrests in an official statement early Monday morning: “As part of an ongoing investigation being conducted by a special police unit, on suspicion of a leak and other serious criminal offenses, two key suspects in the case have been taken into custody. Depending on the progress of the investigation, the two are expected to be brought before the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court tomorrow for an extension of their detention.”
The scandal has shaken Israel’s military and legal establishment. Just hours before the arrests, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu opened the weekly cabinet meeting by condemning the damage caused by the Sde Teiman video leak. “The incident at Sde Teiman caused enormous harm to Israel and to the IDF, to our soldiers. It may be the most severe propaganda attack Israel has faced since its founding. I don’t recall anything with such intensity,” Netanyahu said. “This requires an independent, impartial investigation, and I expect that such an inquiry will be carried out.”
{Matzav.com}
American Islamic Forum for Democracy founder Dr. Zuhdi Jasser says a Mamdani win in New York City would be similar to Islamist extremism taking hold in London on ‘Life, Liberty, & Levin.’
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Israel announced early Monday morning that the remains of three Israeli soldiers who had been held in Gaza have been identified and returned to Israel for burial. The fallen are Col. Asaf Hamami z”l, Capt. Omer Maxim Naotra z”l, and Sgt. Oz Daniel z”l.
The Prime Minister’s Office said the identification process was completed by the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir, in coordination with the Israel Police and the IDF Rabbinate. “Representatives of the IDF have informed the families of the hostages and fallen soldiers… that their loved ones have been returned to Israel and identified,” the statement read.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences and demanded that Hamas uphold its commitments under the ceasefire agreement. “The Hamas terror organization is required to fulfill its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of the agreement’s implementation. We will not compromise on this,” he said. “The government and all the relevant security bodies of the State of Israel are determined, obligated, and working tirelessly to bring back all our fallen hostages for proper burial in their homeland.”
According to the IDF, Col. Asaf Hamami z”l, commander of the Southern Brigade in the Gaza Division, was killed in battle at Kibbutz Nirim on the morning of October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched its deadly attack. His body was taken into Gaza by terrorists. Col. Hamami, 40, was among the first to arrive at the front lines that morning. He is survived by his parents, brother, wife, and three children.
Capt. Omer Maxim Naotra z”l, who immigrated to Israel from the United States as a lone soldier through the Garin Tzabar program, served as a platoon commander in the 77th Battalion of the Golan Storm Brigade. He was killed while defending the border communities on October 7, 2023, and his body was abducted to Gaza. His death was officially confirmed on December 1, 2024. Capt. Naotra, 21, is survived by his parents, two brothers, and two sisters.
Sgt. Oz Daniel z”l also served in the 77th Battalion of the Golan Storm Brigade. He fell in battle on the same day, defending the southern communities. His death was declared on February 25, 2024. Sgt. Daniel, 19, was taken into Gaza by Hamas and is survived by his parents and twin sister.
In its statement, the IDF said, “The IDF shares in the grief of the families, continues to invest all efforts in bringing back the bodies of the fallen hostages, and is preparing for the continued implementation of the agreement. Hamas must fulfill its part of the agreement and make every effort necessary to return the hostages for proper burial.”
Israeli officials confirmed that, in addition to these three soldiers, Hamas is still holding the remains of six Israelis and two foreign nationals in Gaza.
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After being informed that his request for a reduced sentence was denied, Ariel Shamai, a yeshiva bochur from Ateres Shlomo, reached out from prison to seek comfort and encouragement from the Slabodka rosh yeshiva, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch. The resulting conversation was deeply emotional and filled with words of chizuk and emunah.
Rav Hirsch took the call while traveling and immediately sought to strengthen the young man. Ariel described the pain and fear he was experiencing in prison, admitting that he was struggling to focus on learning and was worried about his spiritual state.
“I heard the difficult news,” began Rav Hirsch, his voice heavy with concern. “It must be that you are a very, very strong bochur to be able to withstand this. It’s very hard, very hard, but b’ezras Hashem, it will pass.”
The rosh yeshiva continued to reassure him, saying, “This is an extremely difficult nisayon, but it will pass if Hashem wills it. In the meantime, strengthen yourself as much as possible. Remember that everything comes from Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and that thought itself will give you strength to succeed in your learning — far more than before.”
He then added words that moved many who later heard the recording: “Because you are suffering for the sake of Torah, the Torah itself will come before Hashem and say, ‘He suffered for me — give him all the secrets of Torah.’ That’s what will happen. Through this, you will reach new levels in Torah.”
As Ariel poured out his heart, Rav Hirsch sighed deeply and said, “I understand your pain very well. But you must strengthen yourself with the knowledge that Torah speaks before Hashem and says, ‘He toiled for You, he sacrificed for You — give him the secrets of Torah.’ That’s what will happen.”
Concluding the conversation, the rosh yeshiva offered final words of encouragement: “What you are going through now will raise you higher and higher. Keep thinking of HaKadosh Baruch Hu constantly, and you will not be influenced by your surroundings. Even if you can’t concentrate, just saying the words of Torah is also valuable. Learn however you can, even without focus. Hashem will help you. Kol tuv, kol tuv.”
{Matzav.com}
Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins joins ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to discuss Zohran Mamdani’s projected victory in the New York City mayoral race and his warning to those who support socialism.
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Watch as President Trump discusses testing nuclear weapons, U.S.-China relations, Israel, the government shutdown, immigration, tariffs, and whether he’ll try to stay in the White House beyond 2028.
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‘The Ben Shapiro Show’ host Ben Shapiro analyzes New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani on ‘Life, Liberty & Levin.’
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In a post on Truth Social on Sunday evening, President Donald J. Trump issued a strong appeal to the Orthodox Jewish community—particularly in Lakewood, New Jersey—urging them to turn out in large numbers to support Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli in Tuesday’s election.
Trump praised the Orthodox community’s overwhelming backing during the 2024 presidential race, describing Lakewood as one of his campaign’s greatest strongholds nationwide. “The Orthodox Jewish communities all across America voted in very big numbers for me in our Historic 2024 Presidential Campaign,” Trump wrote. “Lakewood, New Jersey, was one of our biggest Wins anywhere in the Country with more than 90% of the Vote.”
With the New Jersey governor’s race approaching on November 4, Trump declared, “I need ALL of my supporters in the Orthodox community in Lakewood and its surrounding towns to vote in HUGE numbers for Jack Ciattarelli.” He called Ciattarelli “a GREAT Governor” and emphasized that he has Trump’s “Complete and Total Endorsement,” assuring supporters that “He will never let you down!”
Trump specifically mentioned the thousands of yeshiva students who voted for him last year, urging them to return to the polls to help deliver another victory. “Jack needs every single Vote in the community, including all the Yeshiva students who turned out to vote for me last year,” he wrote. “Your Votes in this Election will save New Jersey, a State that is near and dear to my heart.”
The post focused heavily on economic themes, with Trump promising that Ciattarelli would implement conservative fiscal reforms. “Jack will cut your taxes, and tremendously reduce your out of control and ridiculous Energy costs — whereas his opponent will double, triple, and even quadruple your Energy, and other costs,” he said.
Concluding his message, Trump made a direct appeal to voters: “You will rue the day that you voted for her. VOTE FOR JACK CIATTARELLI ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH!”
{Matzav.com}
A sudden and unexpected show of support for Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani from one faction within the Satmar community has sparked intense disagreement, laying bare sharp internal rifts over how to approach a candidate many see as deeply controversial.
The endorsement for the jihad supporter and Muslim socialist came on Sunday, when Mr. Moshe Indig — a longtime political figure among the Ahronim, the group aligned with Rav Aharon Teitelbaum of Satmar — announced at a Williamsburg gathering that he was backing Mamdani for mayor, The Forward reports.
But before the day was over, the move had ignited outrage. Three leaders from the same Ahronim faction quickly released a joint letter distancing themselves from the endorsement and reaffirming their community’s backing of Andrew Cuomo, the same candidate they had supported during the Democratic primary.
Indig, who earlier in the campaign had described Mamdani as “very nice, very humble” and “not antisemitic,” has not responded publicly since the uproar erupted.
If Mamdani — a proud socialist and outspoken critic of Israel who currently leads the race by a wide margin — wins on Tuesday, it would mark the third straight mayoral contest in which the Ahronim camp’s political endorsement aligned with the eventual victor. That track record began in 2013, when they backed Bill de Blasio over the more establishment-favored Bill Thompson, and continued in 2021 when they supported Eric Adams, while other chassidic groups, including the Zalonim, threw their support behind Andrew Yang.
This latest development came just days after the Satmar faction led by Rav Zalmen Teitelbaum of Satmar declared that they would not endorse any candidate in this race. In their statement, they decried the “fear campaign” being waged against Mamdani, even as they had met with Cuomo earlier in the week together with Mayor Eric Adams. Despite that meeting, they ultimately withheld support from either side.
In a public letter distributed to their followers, the Satmar leadership cited several of Mamdani’s recent promises to the chareidi community. Among them, they highlighted his commitment to defend the independence of yeshivos facing pressure from state regulators, as well as his pledges to expand affordable housing and create universal childcare programs that would benefit frum families.
Should Mamdani prevail, he would become New York City’s first Muslim mayor.
Andrew Cuomo, meanwhile, continues to command broad Jewish support. Recent polling shows that Jewish voters — who account for about 10 percent of the city’s electorate — heavily favor him. A Quinnipiac poll of 170 Jewish respondents put Cuomo at 60 percent and Mamdani at just 16, while a Marist survey of 792 likely voters (including 11 percent who identified as Jewish) found a 55 to 32 percent split in Cuomo’s favor.
{Matzav.com}
