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Trump Escalates Feud With NY Times: ‘Enemy of the People’

Matzav -

President Donald Trump renewed his long-running feud with The New York Times early Tuesday, unleashing a blistering attack on the newspaper in a late-night post accusing it of deception, ideological extremism, and endangering the country.

Writing on Truth Social shortly after midnight, the president took aim at both the paper’s reporting and its opinion content, charging that the outlet routinely publishes false material and distorts facts for political purposes.

“The Failing New York Times, and their lies and purposeful misrepresentations, is a serious threat to the National Security of our Nation,” Trump wrote.

In the same post, Trump accused the paper of “Radical Left, Unhinged Behavior” and claimed it was “writing FAKE Articles and Opinions in a never ending way.”

He went further, asserting that the newspaper “must be dealt with and stopped,” and ended the message with the declaration, “THEY ARE A TRUE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!” The post was signed, “PRESIDENT DJT.”

The remarks represent the latest flashpoint in a public clash that stretches back nearly a decade, beginning during Trump’s first presidential campaign in 2015 and continuing through his time in office and beyond.

Throughout his first term, Trump repeatedly targeted The New York Times and other major media outlets, frequently dismissing critical coverage as “fake news” and accusing reporters and editors of entrenched political bias.

During that period, the Times published a series of high-profile investigative pieces examining Trump’s tax records, business affairs, and administration policies. Trump disputed or denied many of those reports.

In response to Trump’s criticisms over the years, the newspaper has consistently stood by its journalism, maintaining that its reporting is grounded in verified facts and serves the public interest.

A Times spokesperson has previously said the paper’s mission is to “seek the truth and help people understand the world,” stressing that coverage is not shaped to satisfy any political leader.

When Trump has labeled the paper an “enemy of the people” in the past, Times executives have rejected that claim, arguing that a free press is constitutionally protected and vital to holding those in power accountable.

The newspaper has also emphasized that its opinion section operates separately from its newsroom and represents a variety of viewpoints, a distinction it has highlighted amid criticism from Trump and his supporters.

{Matzav.com}

State Comptroller Issues Severe Warning For Yerushalayim Area – Risk Of 10/7-Style Attack

Matzav -

A sweeping audit released Tuesday by State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman paints a troubling picture of security, management, and coordination failures along the Seam Line and the crossings surrounding Yerushalayim, shortcomings that have accumulated over many years.

The report evaluates the preparedness and performance of the authorities responsible for the barrier and crossings, with particular attention to the lessons of the October 7 massacre and the Swords of Iron War. Engelman’s findings indicate that longstanding government decisions were not properly implemented and that operational weaknesses remain unresolved.

One of the central findings concerns the physical barrier itself. According to the audit, only 61% of the several hundred kilometers comprising the seam line route are protected by a physical obstacle. In the remaining areas, wide gaps allow Palestinians to cross without inspection. In some places, including an 11-kilometer stretch on one route and a six-kilometer stretch on another, no barrier exists at all—conditions the Comptroller described as posing a significant risk of terrorist infiltration.

The report also highlights systemic problems at the crossings. It notes the lack of an approved operating framework, the failure to carry out key government decisions regarding civilian management, and what it describes as an insufficient response by the Shin Bet to professional recommendations. Despite a Prime Ministerial decision dating back to 2005, not a single crossing in the Yerushalayim perimeter sector has been transferred to civilian operation.

Further criticism is directed at the Israel Police, which, according to the audit, have been running the crossings for roughly 20 years without a formal doctrine or permanent command structure. Of the 16 crossings in the sector, only two are supervised by commanders formally authorized for the role. Engelman warned that this situation creates dangerous security gaps and weakens coordination among the IDF, police, Border Guard, and civilian security elements.

On the ground, the audit found that Border Guard units were reassigned from routine security duties in the area to other missions, diminishing the overall defensive posture along the seam line. The report also cites inconsistent and incomplete reporting between the IDF and police regarding infiltration incidents, resulting in a fragmented and uncoordinated response.

Additional deficiencies identified include aging infrastructure, manpower shortages, inadequate inspection equipment, and failures in coordination between government ministries. One example cited is the prolonged delay in opening the subsidence road at the Qalandiya crossing, which the report attributes to disputes between the Ministry of Transportation and the police.

Among the Comptroller’s recommendations are completing the civilianization of the crossings, establishing a clear police operating doctrine, improving intelligence-sharing among all relevant agencies, and immediately closing existing gaps in the barrier. The report also calls for reexamining the route of the barrier based on updated threat assessments.

Reacting to the findings, the Regavim movement issued a sharply worded response, saying: “The State Comptroller’s report addressing the October 7 scenario in the Yerushalayim area is welcome, but it focuses on marginal issues. The seam line will always be breached. Every day, dozens and hundreds of Arabs from Judea and Samaria cross the fence. Even the most expensive and fortified fence in the south was breached within minutes by terrorists wearing flip-flops.”

Regavim added that fences alone cannot prevent terrorism, arguing that the roots of the problem lie in education, territorial withdrawals, failed agreements, and weak governance. “In Yerushalayim, as elsewhere,” the organization said, “only firm control of the territory-through military and civilian presence, settlement, and governance-can address the dangerous security reality facing the State of Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

Zohran Mamdani Names Lillian Bonsignore as Next FDNY Commissioner

Yeshiva World News -

Zohran Mamdani has tapped Lillian Bonsignore, a longtime FDNY veteran and former EMS chief, to serve as the next FDNY commissioner. Bonsignore, who retired in 2022 after 31 years, would become only the second woman to lead the FDNY. She replaces Robert Tucker, who resigned one day after Mamdani defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in […]

Former Trump Ally Turned Critic George Conway Files to Run for Congress

Yeshiva World News -

George Conway, a former conservative lawyer who has become one of President Donald Trump’s most outspoken critics, is taking steps toward a run for Congress in an open New York City seat. Conway filed paperwork Monday to run as a Democrat in New York’s 12th Congressional District, though he has not made an official announcement […]

Hunter Slams Biden Border, Kabul Debacles

Matzav -

In a wide-ranging appearance on “The Shawn Ryan Show” released Monday, Hunter Biden offered unusually blunt criticism of two of the most controversial episodes of his father’s presidency, faulting both the handling of immigration at the southern border and the execution of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Discussing immigration, Hunter Biden said the approach taken during the Biden administration unraveled badly, calling the situation at the border “a disaster.” While stressing support for robust, lawful immigration, he argued that the country “doesn’t want immigrants that are coming here illegally, draining us of resources” and being “prioritized above” veterans and other Americans who are struggling.

The exchange came as host Shawn Ryan pressed him on frustrations voiced by many Americans, particularly the contrast between strained services for veterans and taxpayer-funded assistance for illegal immigrants in major U.S. cities. Hunter Biden rejected the idea that simply cutting migrant benefits would fix problems at the Department of Veterans Affairs, saying his father “cared” deeply about veterans and citing the PACT Act as evidence of that commitment.

Even so, his remarks echoed a long-standing Republican critique that the administration surrendered operational control of the border and declined to fully enforce existing laws until political pressure intensified. Government data has underscored the magnitude of the surge. The Congressional Budget Office estimated net immigration of roughly 2.4 million people per year in both 2023 and 2024 under an “other foreign nationals” category, with levels expected to decline closer to historical norms afterward.

Hunter Biden also revisited a familiar Democratic argument over a stalled bipartisan border proposal, saying a sweeping bill crafted by Sens. James Lankford of Oklahoma, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and Chris Murphy of Connecticut had Republican backing until Donald Trump intervened ahead of the 2024 election. Republicans, however, have maintained that the necessary enforcement tools were already in place and that then-President Joe Biden opted not to deploy them, while Trump emphasized deterrence, removals, and curbing asylum abuse through campaigns and executive actions.

Turning to Afghanistan, Hunter Biden said that ending the two-decade war was justified, describing the decision to leave as “the right thing to do.” At the same time, he acknowledged that the manner in which the withdrawal unfolded was “an obvious” failure.

He pointed to the ISIS-K suicide bombing at Kabul’s airport during the evacuation, which killed 13 U.S. service members and about 170 Afghan civilians, as emblematic of what went wrong. Reflecting on responsibility for the outcome, he said: “I think that there was a better way to do it, and … I can blame it on his generals, I can blame it on [other] people [for] the way in which we did it, but — and my dad always knew this also, is that the buck stops with him.”

Hunter Biden added that his father was “crushed” by the deaths of the troops. His candid comments, however, are likely to reignite scrutiny of the administration’s planning and the deadly consequences of the withdrawal, an episode Republicans have long cited as a symbol of weakened American credibility overseas.

{Matzav.com}

ADL: 20% Of Mamdani Transition Members Tied To Terror-Supporting Anti-Zionist Groups

Yeshiva World News -

At least one in five members of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition operation has documented ties to radical anti-Zionist groups that openly promote terror and harass Jewish people, according to a report released Monday by the Anti-Defamation League. The ADL’s analysis found that roughly 80 of the more than 400 people appointed to Mamdani’s 17 transition […]

“A System That Lost Its Shame:” Levin Raps High Court After It Nixes His 3rd Request

Yeshiva World News -

Israel’s High Court on Tuesday rejected Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s request to reconsider the appointment of retired judge Asher Kula, the Ombudsman for Complaints Against Judges, to lead the investigation into the leak of the Sdei Teiman video by former Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer‑Yerushalmi. In response, Levin issued a blistering attack on the Court […]

Prison Guards Taunted Him: “You Shamed the IDF.” He Replied: “Fortunate Are We.”

Matzav -

Yeshiva bochur Binyamin Kreif, who was released after three and a half months in military prison for failing to report to the draft office, spoke Monday night in a wide-ranging interview about his incarceration, including two months spent in solitary confinement, the high-profile escape attempt that drew national attention, and the message he wants fellow yeshiva students to hear: “Prison is a summer camp. Don’t be afraid.”

Kreif spoke with broadcaster Yankele Friedman, who opened the conversation by describing the emotional scenes surrounding Kreif’s release, including a celebratory reception in Modi’in Illit and what he termed a “royal welcome,” complete with a limousine. Friedman said Kreif had been jailed solely because he is a yeshiva student devoted to Torah study, adding that tefillos for his release had come from across the country. “I saw videos today of thousands celebrating together with him. He was welcomed like a king,” Friedman said.

Kreif thanked Friedman for his steady support throughout his imprisonment, calling him a “holy person” whose encouragement helped him endure months behind bars.

During the interview, Kreif described in stark detail the conditions he faced, most notably two months in solitary confinement, in a cell measuring roughly two and a half meters. “I was in solitary for two months—just a cell and a guard watching you all the time,” he said. According to Kreif, security was intentionally stringent, with guards rotating every four hours to prevent any rapport. He said the harsh treatment stemmed from the widely documented escape incident that followed his arrest. “The guards told me, ‘You shamed the IDF,’” Kreif recalled. “I answered them, ‘Fortunate are we.’”

Despite the isolation and physical strain, Kreif said he and other inmates found ways to lift their spirits and even inject humor into daily life. He described harmless antics meant to unsettle guards without being caught, such as ducking into camera-free restrooms and making animal noises. “We turned the place into a summer camp,” he said with a smile. “We’d shout, ‘Zoo—fall in!’ and keep them on edge all night.” Friedman wondered whether such behavior prolonged Kreif’s time in solitary, but Kreif insisted the goal was to retain dignity and feel like “a prince” even in prison.

One of the interview’s most striking moments involved Kreif’s encounter with an atheist inmate who was transferred into his cell just days before his release. Kreif said that over the course of four days, he shared parables and spoke about faith, sparking a profound change. “On the day I was released, he told me, ‘Binyamin, can you leave me your peyos so I can look chareidi too?’” Kreif recounted. Friedman responded that even behind bars, Kreif had merited “bringing a lost brother closer.” Kreif added that many secular inmates expressed deep respect for the chareidi yeshiva students housed alongside them.

As the conversation drew to a close, Kreif addressed yeshiva students anxious about the prospect of arrest. “There’s really nothing to fear about this prison. It truly is a summer camp,” he said confidently. He acknowledged that solitary confinement is difficult, but emphasized that conditions improve significantly once inmates are moved to the regular unit, where the atmosphere is far more social and supportive.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Consumer Confidence Falls in December as Tariff, Price Worries Mount

Yeshiva World News -

Consumers were less confident in the economy in December as Americans grow anxious about high prices and the impact of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell 3.8 points to 89.1 in December from November’s upwardly revised reading of 92.9. That is close to 85.7 reading […]

IDF PTSD Veterans Block Finance Ministry in Jerusalem Over Delayed Rights

Yeshiva World News -

IDF veterans suffering from PTSD are currently blocking the entrance to the Finance Ministry in Jerusalem, protesting what they describe as the government’s ongoing treatment of them and delays in implementing their rights. The protest is taking place amid deep frustration over the state’s handling of wounded veterans, who say they continue to bear the […]

Yeshiva Bochur Performs Chassidishe Segulah — And Gets Engaged

Matzav -

A heartening and widely discussed engagement was announced yesterday, Zos Chanukah 5786, involving a 25-year-old yeshiva bochur who took part last year in a well-known Chassidishe segulah for shidduchim — and is now celebrating his engagement.

The chosson, Shmuel Aharon Chazan, is among the talmidim of Yeshiva Kiryas Melech. He became engaged yesterday to a young woman from the Gutfarb family of Kiryat Sefer less than a year after traveling to Poland to participate in the traditional segulah associated with the yahrtzeit of rav Dovid of Lelov.

Each year, on 7 Shevat, dozens of unmarried men who are awaiting their zivug travel to Poland, where the Lelover Rebbe conducts a tish at the site of the yahrtzeit. As part of a long-standing custom regarded by many as a tried and tested segulah, participants dance atop a table during the tish, davening for salvation in their personal lives.

With the upcoming yahrtzeit only weeks away, another story of yeshuah has now emerged. The chosson lives in Beit Shemesh near the center of Lelover Chassidus. After hearing about the custom, he traveled last year on 7 Shevat to the tziyun of the Lelover Rebbe in Poland, took part in the dance, and yesterday — on Zos Chanukah — celebrated his engagement.

This is not the first such case. In Adar of last year, we reported on another engagement that followed the same segulah: a 29-year-old talmid of Yeshivas Oraysa who became engaged less than a month after participating in the Lelover yahrtzeit dance. He has since married, b’shaah tovah u’mutzlachas.

A striking detail in both cases is that neither chosson is a follower of Lelover Chassidus. Nonetheless, both traveled to Poland, fulfilled the segulah with complete faith, and were subsequently zocheh to see yeshuah.

{Matzav.com}

Israel Provided Covert Support to Syrian Druze Amid Assad Collapse, Security Concerns

Yeshiva World News -

Following the collapse of Bashar Assad’s rule and the rise of Ahmad al-Sharaa, Israel quietly provided assistance to Syria’s Druze community as part of its regional security posture. The support included weapons, funding, intelligence, and logistical aid delivered through intermediaries, aimed at strengthening local Druze forces in southern Syria and limiting the influence of Islamist […]

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