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In unusually sharp remarks, former Rishon LeTzion Rav Yitzchok Yosef voiced strong support for the ongoing protests against the arrest of yeshivah students and launched a blistering attack on Israel’s right-wing government, lamenting what he described as the continued persecution of the Torah world.

The comments, published Wednesday in an audio recording, came against the backdrop of nationwide demonstrations over the detention of bnei Torah. In the recording, Rav Yosef criticized the authorities for targeting yeshivah students and avreichim and expressed particular concern over what he described as the disproportionate impact on Sephardic members of the Torah community.

“We are participating in the protest against the authorities for what they are doing in stopping Torah learners and persecuting them—arresting talmidei chachamim, avreichim, and bnei yeshivah,” Rav Yosef said. “Sadly, it is primarily Sephardim. There is blatant discrimination here. They are humiliating them.”

The Rishon LeTzion then turned his criticism toward the government itself, expressing dismay that such policies were being carried out under a coalition identified with the political right.

“Woe to us that דווקא a right-wing government has imposed such decrees against the bnei Torah, the avreichim, and the holy Torah,” he declared. “May there not be Heavenly displeasure. We protest with all our strength against this ביזיון התורה.”

Continuing his remarks, Rav Yosef appeared to allude to the government with a pointed biblical phrase.

“We do not rely on those who are in politics—‘their right hand is a false right hand,’” he said, adding an appeal to the authorities: “We ask the government: Remove your hands from the talmidei chachamim. Leave the Sephardic bnei Torah alone. Leave us in peace so that we may sit and learn Torah.”

Concluding his message, Rav Yosef reiterated his long-held position regarding military service for yeshivah students.

“One who studies Torah is exempt from going to the army—and even one who is not studying Torah. How can he go to such a secular army?” he said. “Be strong and courageous. Hashem is with you, mighty men of valor.”

{Matzav.com}

A new Israeli government initiative targeting the Torah world is expected to begin in the coming weeks, as Israel’s Tax Authority prepares to strip tax benefits from chareidi nonprofit organizations that support yeshivos attended by students classified by the military as draft evaders.

According to a report aired Wednesday evening on Kan News, the Tax Authority is expected to contact yeshivos whose donors currently receive tax deductions and require them to disclose whether any of their students are officially designated as “draft dodgers” under military records.

As part of the process, yeshivos will reportedly be required to submit lists of students for cross-checking against army databases. Under the planned policy, any yeshivah found to have students classified as draft evaders would lose eligibility for tax-benefit status. Estimates suggest that the financial impact could amount to tens of millions of shekels annually.

The move is being viewed by many in the chareidi community as another step in what they describe as an ongoing campaign against the Torah world.

The initiative follows a directive issued approximately one month ago by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who instructed that donors to yeshivos whose students do not serve in the military should no longer qualify for tax benefits. The directive drew fierce criticism from chareidi political parties, which warned that the financial damage to yeshivos and Torah institutions could ultimately reach tens or even hundreds of millions of shekels each year.

Kan News further reported that even before responding to petitions filed with the High Court of Justice, the attorney general had already instructed the Tax Authority and other relevant government agencies to begin preparing the groundwork necessary to halt the subsidization of donations to chareidi yeshivos through the tax-benefit system.

The expected implementation of the policy comes amid escalating tensions surrounding the status of yeshivah students, military draft enforcement, and the arrest of bnei Torah, issues that have sparked widespread protests and political turmoil across the country in recent weeks.

President Donald Trump abruptly derailed a planned White House-style signing ceremony for a bipartisan housing package on Wednesday, refusing to move forward with the legislation until Congress first approves his election security proposal, the SAVE America Act. The unexpected decision came amid an increasingly tense day at the U.S. Capitol that also featured a heated confrontation with Republican senators over the ongoing conflict with Iran.

The housing affordability bill had been scheduled for a public signing event intended to showcase bipartisan cooperation on one of the country’s most pressing economic issues ahead of the November midterm elections. Instead, Trump canceled the event just two hours before it was set to begin.

Explaining his decision, Trump declared that the legislation would remain unsigned until lawmakers advanced his election proposal.

“Today’s Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

The SAVE America Act would require individuals to provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote and present photo identification at the polls. Supporters argue the proposal would safeguard election integrity, while Democrats contend it would place unnecessary obstacles in the way of eligible voters.

Although the measure has already stalled in the Senate, with Republican leadership acknowledging it currently lacks the votes necessary to overcome procedural hurdles, Trump continued pressing lawmakers to take it up.

The president, who has continued to maintain that fraud prevented him from winning the 2020 presidential election, carried that message into a private lunch with Senate Republicans later in the day.

According to multiple reports, the meeting became contentious when Trump confronted Republican senators who had joined Democrats a day earlier in supporting a resolution related to the Iran conflict.

Four Republican senators crossed party lines to approve a largely symbolic measure calling on Trump either to seek congressional authorization for continued military operations against Iran or to bring those hostilities to an end.

After the meeting, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana recounted his exchange with the president, saying Trump questioned why any Republican would support the resolution.

“I stood and said: ‘You have not told the American people what’s going on. It was supposed to last four weeks; it’s lasted four months. Our original objectives have not been achieved and I want to know what’s going on,'” Cassidy said, according to The Hill and CNN.

Cassidy, who was defeated in Louisiana’s Republican primary in May by a Trump-endorsed challenger, will not be seeking another term in November.

Trump appeared to remain frustrated as he departed the luncheon.

“I don’t like a few people, but that’s OK — I think you know who they are.”

The dispute over war powers unfolded as the administration continued pursuing a permanent agreement with Iran following months of fighting that unsettled energy markets worldwide and exposed divisions within the Republican Party.

Before entering the closed-door meeting alongside Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Trump brushed aside reporters’ questions about the housing legislation and instead expressed confidence about developments in the Middle East.

He said the “war is going very well” and that “Iran is making very big concessions.”

The housing legislation itself had cleared Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support and was widely promoted by Republicans as a meaningful response to the nation’s housing affordability crisis.

Among its key provisions are measures designed to increase the nation’s housing supply, reduce regulatory barriers to construction, and make homeownership more accessible at a time when elevated mortgage rates, limited inventory, and soaring rents continue to strain American families.

Trump had previously praised the legislation as part of his broader effort to reduce Americans’ cost of living during a period of stubborn inflation, some of which has been linked to instability caused by the Iran conflict.

On Wednesday, however, the president downplayed the importance of the housing package, describing it as being of “minor importance” and saying it “pales in comparison” to passing the SAVE America Act.

Despite Trump’s refusal to sign the measure immediately, the legislation may still become law. Under the Constitution, a bill automatically takes effect after ten days if the president neither signs nor vetoes it while Congress remains in session.

The president also demonstrated his commitment to prioritizing the election proposal last week when he called off the Senate confirmation hearing for his nominee to serve as director of national intelligence, saying lawmakers should instead focus on advancing the SAVE America Act.

Backers of the legislation argue it would significantly strengthen election security by ensuring that only eligible citizens cast ballots.

Critics, however, maintain that voter fraud is exceedingly uncommon and warn that the proposal would disproportionately affect minority communities, married women, and others who may face greater difficulty obtaining the required identification and documentation.

{Matzav.com}

A series of violent incidents targeting chareidi participants in Wednesday’s nationwide convoy protest has intensified concerns over rising anti-chareidi hostility, with several confrontations reported across the country and one particularly disturbing altercation taking place on Highway 1 as demonstrators returned home.

The most serious incident occurred Wednesday evening when a motorist was filmed attacking a vehicle carrying chareidi protesters traveling on Highway 1 toward Tel Aviv. Video footage circulated online shows the enraged driver smashing a side mirror and attempting to assault those inside the vehicle.

Within moments, additional protesters gathered at the scene, leading to a heated confrontation. Police officers who arrived shortly afterward intervened and restored order before the situation escalated further.

In a statement, police said, “A short time ago, Border Police officers from the Mateh Yehuda station were dispatched to Highway 1 following reports of a fight and a gathering of people around the incident. Upon arrival, officers acted quickly to separate those involved and restore public order.”

According to the police, “A preliminary investigation indicates that the victim is a resident of Beit Shemesh. The suspect, a resident of Rishon LeZion, will be summoned later today for questioning at the police station to clarify the circumstances of the incident.”

The attack came after a day marked by multiple reports of violence directed at participants in the massive vehicle protest organized in response to the arrests of yeshivah students.

Earlier on Highway 1, one driver was reportedly seen pointing a handgun in the direction of chareidi demonstrators. Footage released by protest organizers appeared to show the individual driving slowly near a group of young chareidim while holding what appeared to be a firearm.

Protest organizers condemned the incident as a serious threat and called on law enforcement authorities to take immediate action.

“No shots were fired,” organizers noted, but they described the incident as deeply alarming and indicative of the growing hostility directed toward the chareidi public.

Another violent confrontation reportedly involved Beitar Illit Deputy Mayor Gedalyahu Eisenstein, chairman of the city’s chassidic faction. Witnesses said a driver deliberately collided with his vehicle before physically attacking him and allegedly attempting to choke him.

In a separate incident on the Ayalon Highway, a truck driver reportedly exited his vehicle and charged toward one of the protest convoy’s cars that had departed from Bnei Brak. According to eyewitness accounts, the man was armed with a knife and sticks.

Passengers said the attacker struck the vehicle repeatedly and pounded on its windows while they remained trapped inside, fearing for their safety. The occupants reportedly contacted police immediately and refrained from responding physically despite what they described as an imminent threat.

The string of confrontations has fueled accusations from protest organizers and chareidi leaders that inflammatory rhetoric against the Torah community is contributing to a dangerous atmosphere in which physical violence is becoming increasingly common.

As investigations continue into the various incidents, organizers are calling on authorities to ensure that those responsible are held accountable and that participants in future demonstrations can exercise their right to protest without fear of intimidation or attack.

What organizers described as the largest vehicle protest in recent memory brought major highways across Israel to a near standstill on Tuesday, as tens of thousands of participants rallied against the arrest and imprisonment of bnei Torah. The demonstration, known as the “Convoy Protest,” drew participants from across the spectrum of the chareidi community and culminated in dramatic scenes outside Prison 10, where recorded messages from leading Torah authorities were broadcast directly to incarcerated yeshivah students and avreichim.

Within minutes of the protest’s launch, its impact was being felt nationwide. Traffic congestion spread across major roadways, media outlets devoted extensive coverage to the demonstrations, and many workers reportedly left their jobs early in anticipation of the disruptions. Participants said the message was unmistakable: the Torah community would not remain silent in the face of efforts to imprison those dedicated to Torah study.

One of the most striking aspects of the protest was the rare display of unity among Israel’s various chareidi factions. Chassidim affiliated with Agudas Yisrael, the yeshivah community following the guidance of Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, and large segments of the Sephardic Torah community all took part. Organizers credited the involvement of Rav Moshe Maya, the senior member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, with helping bring broad Sephardic participation and the support of Shas representatives.

Heavy traffic jams were reported throughout the country as convoys moved along highways and major intersections. In many locations, participants held Minchah minyanim on roadsides and in the midst of protest gatherings. At the same time, several confrontations were reported between protesters and secular motorists, including verbal altercations and physical incidents that organizers described as acts of hostility toward the demonstrators.

Authorities sealed off access routes leading to Prison 10, deploying large numbers of police officers to prevent thousands of protesters from approaching the facility. Unable to reach the prison itself, organizers erected powerful sound systems near the area and broadcast messages of support, protest, and inspiration toward the prison grounds.

Recorded addresses from leading Torah figures echoed through the area, carrying words of encouragement to those being held behind bars for refusing military service. Protest organizers said the messages were intended to strengthen the imprisoned bnei Torah and remind them that the broader Torah world stood firmly behind them.

Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman delivered an emotional message directed to the detainees.

“I want to join and strengthen the young men who were arrested because they sit and learn Torah. ‘Praiseworthy are you for having been seized because of Torah.’ You are giving strength to the entire future of Klal Yisrael.”

The elderly rosh yeshivah repeated his words with visible emotion, again emphasizing that the imprisoned students were providing encouragement and inspiration to the entire Jewish people.

Former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchak Yosef also addressed the prisoners, speaking with evident pain about the arrests and emphasizing that the protest was not only on behalf of full-time Torah scholars but also against what he described as broader persecution of observant Jews.

“We ask all the authorities—we do not rely on those who are in politics, their right hand is a false right hand—we do not rely on the authorities. We ask them: Leave the Torah scholars alone, leave the Sephardic Torah students alone.”

Following additional songs and prayers, Rav Shmuel Betzalel, rosh yeshivah of Porat Yosef and a member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah, delivered a fiery address.

“Those who are distant want to abolish the holy Torah. They do not understand what the Jewish people are. And you prisoners, prisoners of the holy Torah, who are imprisoned for the sanctification of Hashem’s Name—Hashem is with you, mighty heroes. You will bear your imprisonment with pride, and all the public that came to identify with the holy Torah—Hashem should bless them all, to sustain the Jewish people. Without the holy Torah, the Jewish people do not exist, and they want, G-d forbid, to erase the Torah of our forefathers and the nation itself.”

He also addressed the prisoners directly.

“I turn to the avreichim and the young men who are behind bars in the prisons: Preserve the spirit of true yiras Shamayim that you maintained within the holy yeshivah. At the same time, let your spirits and hearts be uplifted through the ways of the holy Torah. Feel, feel that the Holy One, Blessed is He, is with you—that you are prisoners and representatives of the entire Torah world and of the Torah itself.”

The crowd also listened to a recorded blessing from Rav Yaakov Meir Shechter, one of the senior figures of the Breslov community.

“Be strong and courageous. The Holy One, Blessed is He, will help. Fortunate are you… with all your strength, fortunate are you in this world and the next.”

Rav Moshe Berezovsky, rosh yeshivah of Slonim, likewise spoke of the spiritual significance of the arrests.

“The courts and governmental authorities placed you in prison in order to break your desire to remain faithful to the Holy One, Blessed is He, and to His Torah. We do not abandon the source of our life, even if it requires self-sacrifice. Rabbi Akiva also taught us the way—to sacrifice oneself with joy. All my life I was distressed, wondering when I would have the opportunity to fulfill this. Thank G-d that the wicked among Israel are not yet killing us for learning Torah, but they are trying to harass us, humiliate us, and treat us like criminals because we wish to learn Torah and remain faithful to the Holy One, Blessed is He, and His holy Torah.”

Rav Yitzchak Moshe Erlanger delivered an impassioned message rooted in the story of Rabbi Akiva’s defiance of Roman decrees against Torah study.

“Fortunate are you for having been seized because of Torah. I ask the Master of the Universe to give me the right words to say. The Gemara tells us: ‘The wicked kingdom decreed that the Jewish people should not engage in Torah.’ The Roman government decreed that the Jewish people should not study Torah. Pappus ben Yehudah came and found Rabbi Akiva gathering crowds publicly and studying Torah. Rabbi Akiva simply ignored all of those decrees and continued gathering the masses and teaching Torah.”

Throughout the gathering, organizers recited the names of all those currently imprisoned, along with the names of their mothers, for prayer. Special prayers were also offered for R’ Amram Markowitz, an avreich and father of two young children who reportedly lost consciousness while in prison.

As the protest concluded late Tuesday night, organizers hailed the demonstration as a historic success, pointing to the nationwide disruption, the unprecedented unity among disparate chareidi groups, and the powerful messages delivered to those imprisoned as evidence that the Torah community had made its voice heard across Israel.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump revealed on Wednesday that he personally persuaded Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to remain on the sidelines during the recent conflict involving Iran, while also signaling that Ankara could soon receive a significant benefit from Washington.

Speaking at the White House alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump said Erdogan had considered becoming involved in the war but ultimately refrained after discussions with him.

“He’s a friend of mine, and he stayed out of the war,” Trump said.

Trump went on to suggest that Turkey had been among the countries most likely to enter the conflict, potentially in support of Iran.

“You know, he was a prime candidate to go into the war with Iran. Maybe, on Iran’s side because he’s not a big fan of Israel, as you know. And I asked him to stay out. He stayed out.”

The president also offered strong praise for Erdogan, describing the Turkish leader as both capable and widely respected.

“Erdogan loves Turkey, right? He’s doing a great job. He loves Turkey. I love the US, but he loves Turkey, and he’s doing a great job. He’s a respected man, a respected leader. He’s been a friend of mine.”

During the exchange with reporters, Trump was asked whether the United States might eventually provide Turkey with F-35 fighter jets, something Ankara has long sought.

Responding positively, Trump emphasized Turkey’s importance within the NATO alliance and hinted that he may soon take steps favorable to Erdogan.

“I think so. He’s a member of NATO. Some people don’t consider himself, but he really is. He is a strong member of NATO. Yeah, I’m going to probably do something that’s going to make him very happy.”

Trump’s comments come against the backdrop of increasingly strained relations between Turkey and Israel. Prior to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack, officials from both countries had been making progress toward repairing ties that had been damaged for years.

That effort largely unraveled after the war began, with Erdogan emerging as one of Israel’s most outspoken international critics.

In March 2024, Erdogan condemned Israel following military operations against terrorist targets in Gaza and referred to the Jewish state as a “terror state.”

Later that year, he argued that the Netanyahu government posed the greatest danger to stability in the Middle East.

Erdogan also drew international attention in April 2024 when he hosted then-Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul. Haniyeh was subsequently eliminated by Israel.

A short time afterward, the Turkish president stated that more than 1,000 Hamas members were receiving medical treatment in Turkish hospitals and criticized Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for describing Hamas as a terrorist organization.

More recently, Erdogan has broadened his criticism of Israel, warning that Israeli military activity in Syria and Lebanon could eventually threaten Turkish interests as well.

Earlier this month, he cautioned against additional Israeli operations in the region, declaring, “We see comprehensive initiatives led by Israel in the Mediterranean, and no one should pursue adventures there.”

He also accused Israel of endangering regional stability, saying, “Israel’s aggression threatens the entire world.”

Warning that Turkey would not remain passive if its interests were harmed, Erdogan added, “If the rights of Turks or Turkish-Cypriots are harmed in the Middle East – our response will be unequivocal and strong.”

Trump’s remarks highlighted both his close personal relationship with Erdogan and Turkey’s continuing importance in regional diplomacy, even as tensions between Ankara and Israel remain high.

{Matzav.com}

A new survey released by the Kantar Institute for Kan News points to growing momentum for Israel’s right-wing parties while signaling declining support for the Beyachad (Together) alliance headed by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid.

According to the poll, if Israelis were to vote today, the Likud would emerge as the largest party with 24 Knesset seats. Close behind would be Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, which would secure 22 mandates.

The Bennett-Lapid Beyachad list would receive 16 seats, while Yisrael Beytenu would win 10. The Democrats and Otzma Yehudit would each capture 9 seats, followed by Shas with 9 and United Torah Judaism with 7. Hadash-Ta’al would receive 6 seats, Religious Zionism would win 5, and Ra’am would enter the Knesset with 4 mandates.

Several parties would fail to clear the electoral threshold under this scenario. Blue and White, the Reservists Party, and Balad would all remain outside the Knesset.

When the results are broken down by political blocs, the current coalition parties would hold 54 seats, while parties opposed to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu would collectively command 56 seats.

The poll also examined a hypothetical scenario in which Beyachad, Yesh Atid, and Eisenkot’s Yashar party joined forces under a single slate led by Eisenkot. In that case, the unified list would become the largest faction in the Knesset with 36 seats.

Even under that arrangement, however, Likud would still secure 26 seats, and the broader Netanyahu-aligned bloc would remain at 56 mandates.

Researchers also tested support for a potential new political alliance bringing together Benny Gantz, Dedi Simhi, and Yoaz Hendel. That proposed party would receive 7 seats, according to the survey.

One of the most striking findings involved the future strength of Yesh Atid. If Bennett and Lapid were to part ways and run separately, Bennett’s party would win 14 seats while Yesh Atid would plunge to just 4 mandates, barely surviving above the electoral threshold.

Respondents were also asked who should head the anti-Netanyahu camp in the next election. Eisenkot emerged as the clear favorite, receiving support from 40 percent of those surveyed. Bennett trailed far behind at 16 percent, while 27 percent said neither man should lead the opposition bloc.

A separate Channel 13 News poll produced similar results, showing continued strength for the right and modest gains for Religious Zionism.

In that survey, Likud received 23 seats and Eisenkot’s Yashar party 20. The Bennett-Lapid alliance dropped to 15 seats, while Yisrael Beytenu climbed to 12. The Democrats would win 10 seats, Otzma Yehudit 9, Shas 8, and United Torah Judaism 8. Hadash-Ta’al would secure 6 seats, Religious Zionism 5, and Ra’am 4.

As in the Kan News survey, the Reservists Party, Balad, and Blue and White failed to cross the electoral threshold.

The Channel 13 poll found the Netanyahu-aligned bloc holding 53 seats, compared to 57 seats for the opposition camp, suggesting that despite gains for the right, neither side currently enjoys a decisive path to forming a stable governing coalition.

{Matzav.com}

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