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Israeli Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich weighed in on the storm surrounding Israel’s draft legislation and the status of yeshiva students, declaring that he intends to lead a process that will result in the enlistment of thousands of chareidim into the Israel Defense Forces.

Speaking in an interview with Kikar HaShabbat, Smotrich said: “We will enlist thousands upon thousands of chareidim. We will make a historic change in which chareidi society takes all of its values and charges into the State of Israel. Unlike others, I am not looking for a campaign, not looking for populism, and not looking to turn them into enemies. I want them leading—in the army, in the economy, and in public service in Israel.”

According to Smotrich, many within the chareidi community want to integrate and be part of the broader society. “I believe there are enough chareidim who want to integrate,” he said. “I am determined to bring about a dramatic change in chareidi responsibility for the State of Israel.”

He added that he wants to see chareidim playing a central role in Israel’s economy and contributing their abilities. “I am working on several amendments,” Smotrich said, declining to provide details. “I’m intentionally not saying what they are, because I want to succeed.”

In a previous interview in the studio of Kikar HaShabbat, Smotrich addressed the draft law more broadly, stating: “Only a law that leads to a real process in which the chareidi public participates in the great mitzvah of defending the security of Israel and the eternity of Israel can work. This has to happen. The situation cannot remain as it is.”

He continued: “Anyone who thinks I will be a rubber stamp doesn’t understand what he’s talking about. In my worldview, there is no exemption from this mitzvah. Let’s see what kind of law is brought. I understand that this is a process and I am prepared for that patience—but I demand that it be real and fast.”

Smotrich said he is demanding “a genuine process that will enlist thousands of chareidim every year into the IDF, including combat service and other roles where they are needed.”

He also noted that he has conveyed his position directly to Prime Minister Netanyahu. “I tell the prime minister all the time that the chareidim will support it,” Smotrich said. “We will not be a ‘Shabbos goy,’ and I demand that this law be real.”

{Matzav.com}

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard at AmericaFest 2025 – The threats from this Islamist ideology come in many forms. As we approach X-mas, right now in Germany they are canceling X-Mas markets because of this threat. “This is already underway in places like Houston… It is already happening here, within our borders.”

Rav Dovid Schmidel, chairman of Asra Kadisha and head of the Tiveria–Kommemiyus Kollel, is hospitalized in serious condition and has been sedated and placed on a ventilator.

Rav Schmidel is receiving care at Maayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak. He was admitted last week after developing pneumonia. Early Shabbos morning, he fell while in the hospital, after which doctors decided to sedate and intubate him.

Last night, in Bnei Brak, a tefillah gathering was held at the large beis midrash on Chiddushei HaRim Street. In Yerushalayim, tefillos were held at Beis HaKnesses Ohel Sarah on Nachum Blacher Street and at the kever of Shimon HaTzaddik.

All are asked to daven for Dovid Michoel ben Miriam.

{Matzav.com}

Tom Homan: “I just did a border review in San Diego, Texas, and Arizona… Three days on the southern border, I didn’t see a single illegal alien… three days, not a single illegal alien in my sight… Never seen anything like it in my 40-year career.”

BREAKING: Reports that a third oil tanker has now been seized by the U.S. near Venezuela, according to Bloomberg. The Panama-flagged tanker Bella 1, which is sanctioned by Washington, was intercepted while en route to Venezuela to load oil.

Israeli forces carried out two airstrikes targeting Hezbollah terrorists in the Yater area of southern Lebanon, according to the IDF. Lebanese media report that one person was killed in the strikes.

U.S. peace envoy Steve Witkoff is pressing ahead with efforts to move the Gaza process into its next stage, urging swift implementation of Phase 2 of President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan, including the creation of a new governing force intended to prevent Hamas from renewing attacks.

In a detailed statement published on X on Shabbos afternoon, Witkoff outlined recent diplomatic activity and the objectives now being pursued by Washington and its regional partners. He wrote that senior representatives from the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye convened in Miami to evaluate progress and lay the groundwork for the next phase of the ceasefire framework.

“We, the representatives of the United States of America, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Qatar, and the Republic of Türkiye, met yesterday in Miami to review the implementation of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and to advance preparations for the second phase.”

According to Witkoff, the initial phase has already produced tangible results on the ground, including humanitarian gains and reduced violence.

“The first phase has yielded progress, including expanded humanitarian assistance, the return of hostage bodies, partial force withdrawals, and a reduction in hostilities.”

Turning to the next stage, Witkoff said the discussions focused on establishing a governing structure inside Gaza capable of enforcing order and protecting civilians once the transition begins.

“In our discussions regarding phase two, we emphasized enabling a governing body in Gaza under a unified Gazan authority to protect civilians and maintain public order.”

He added that broader regional cooperation was also addressed as a critical component of long-term stability and recovery for Gaza.

“We also discussed regional integration measures, including trade facilitation, infrastructure development, and cooperation on energy, water, and other shared resources, as essential to Gaza’s recovery, regional stability, and long-term prosperity.”

Central to the next phase, Witkoff said, is the rapid establishment of a new transitional body tasked with overseeing civilian administration, security, and rebuilding efforts.

“In this context, we expressed our support for the near-term establishment and operationalization of the Board of Peace as a transitional administration for the civilian, security, and reconstruction tracks of the reconstruction. We reviewed next steps in the phased implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Gaza, underscoring the importance of sequencing, coordination, and effective monitoring in partnership with local Gazan institutions and international partners.”

Witkoff concluded by stressing that the parties remain committed to the full scope of President Trump’s plan and warned that cooperation and restraint will be essential as the process moves forward.

“We reaffirm our full commitment to the entirety of the President’s 20-point peace plan and call on all parties to uphold their obligations, exercise restraint, and cooperate with monitoring arrangements. Further consultations will continue in the coming weeks to advance the implementation of phase two.”

{Matzav.com}

Rav Dovid Batzri, one of the senior mekubalim and rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat HaShalom in Yerushalayim, is hospitalized in serious condition at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, where he is sedated and on a ventilator.

Rav Batzri was admitted to the hospital several days ago, and while there had been some improvement in his condition last week, his health deteriorated sharply late Thursday night. Doctors were forced to sedate and intubate him, and he is now in need of extensive rachamei Shomayim.

Over Shabbos, several of Rav Batzri’s grandchildren remained at his side. On Motzaei Shabbos, his son, Rav Yitzchak Batzri, released a message from the entrance to the intensive care unit, making an emotional appeal to the public. Rav Yitzchak implored Klal Yisroel to daven for his father, stressing repeatedly that his condition is grave and that he urgently needs the tefillos of the Jewish people.

All are asked to daven for Dovid Shalom ben Victoria.

{Matzav.com}

Marco Rubio said that if JD Vance runs for president in 2028, “he’ll be our nominee… and I’ll be one of the first people to support him.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has brushed aside warnings from New York’s incoming mayor, signaling that a visit to the city remains firmly on his plans despite public threats of arrest.

Speaking in recent interviews, Netanyahu made clear that he is undeterred. He told the New York Times, “Yes, of course I will [come to New York],” and separately told Australian journalist Ein Molan that he is “not afraid” of Mamdani.

The comments come after mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani repeatedly claimed he would seek Netanyahu’s arrest should the Israeli leader enter New York City, pointing to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. Mamdani has accused Israel of war crimes during its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

In September, Mamdani articulated his position in stark terms, saying: “I think that our city should uphold the warrants that the International Criminal Court issues, whether for Benjamin Netanyahu or Vladimir Putin. Also, I am not Donald Trump. I will follow the laws as they are, not bend them to my will. We will pursue every legal avenue to make sure that accountability is present.”

US officials quickly pushed back, warning that a New York City mayor has no legal authority to detain a foreign head of government. Figures in the Trump Administration, along with New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, have cautioned that any such move would run afoul of federal law.

The latest exchange was sparked by a letter from Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, who invited Netanyahu to visit New York on January 1, 2026 — the day Mamdani is scheduled to take office. The New York Post described the invitation as a deliberate effort to needle the mayor-elect.

Netanyahu responded warmly to Vernikov, thanking her for the invitation and writing: “Even though I won’t be able to make it on that day, I assure you that I will visit New York soon. And I’d very much like to see you at that time.”

According to the New York Post, Netanyahu has privately indicated that a New York trip is expected in the near future, regardless of the political controversy surrounding his arrival.

{Matzav.com}

Sunday morning, during Rosh Chodesh tefillos, ushers at the Kosel plaza intercepted an effort by the Women of the Wall group to bring a Sefer Torah into the women’s section, an act prohibited under the site’s standing regulations.

According to officials on site, the Sefer Torah had been concealed inside the bag of an IDF reserve soldier accompanying the group. Security personnel asked to examine the bag, discovered the Sefer Torah, and promptly removed it from the plaza.

In response, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation sharply criticized the incident, saying: “We regret that the Women of the Wall group once again chose to exploit IDF soldiers in an attempt to violate the procedures in place at the Western Wall. As in the past, the group does not hesitate to employ provocative tactics that harm the sanctity of the site and the honor of the Torah scroll.

“The Western Wall Heritage Foundation embraces and honors IDF soldiers, both regular and reserve. The Western Wall will continue to serve as a place of prayer, strength, and comfort for them. During the recent Hanukkah holiday alone, thousands of IDF soldiers visited the Western Wall plaza to pray and give thanks at the holiest site of the Jewish people. The Foundation will continue to act to preserve the sanctity of the Western Wall, maintain proper order, and respect all visitors.”

The Women of the Wall, for its part, issued a statement pushing back against the enforcement action, declaring: “On Hanukkah, the holiday commemorating the Maccabees’ struggle for religious freedom, women are still denied religious freedom and the ability to practice their faith at the Western Wall. This situation is an absurdity under the authority of the Western Wall rabbi.”

{Matzav.com}

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was booed and heckled during an official Bondi beach memorial, with the crowd shouting, “You’re not welcome here… Shame.”

Mekubal Rav Itche Meyer Morgenstern receiving an aliyah on Sunday at the kever of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov in Uman.

TEHILLIM: HaMekubal Rav Dovid Batzri, Rosh Yeshivas HaShalom, remains hospitalized in serious condition in Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem. He is sedated and on a respirator. Please daven for a refuah sheleimah for Reb Dovid Shalom ben Victoria b’toch sha’ar cholei Yisrael.

The Women of the Wall group “recruited” an IDF reserve soldier to attempt to smuggle a Sefer Torah into the women’s section of the Kosel, in violation of the regulations at the site, on Sunday morning, Rosh Chodesh Teves. They put a small Sefer Torah into the bag of the soldier. However, ushers who requested […]

Attorney-General Gali Baharav Miara has escalated her frenzied battle against Chareidim and the Olam HaTorah, now even spreading her poison to Bnei Torah from abroad. She is considering halting all funding for yeshivos, even those attended by non-Israelis, to avoid the possibility that any state funds may indirectly benefit Chareidi “draft dodgers,” Kan News reported. […]

No winning ticket was sold in Saturday nights Powerball drawing, pushing the jackpot to an estimated $1.60 billion. The next Powerball drawing is scheduled for Monday night.

The brother-in-law of a man murdered in the Sydney terror attack traveled to a local hospital to personally thank the Muslim hero who stopped one of the attackers and helped save lives.

Rabbi Mendel Kastel, whose brother-in-law, Rabbi Eli Schlanger Hy”d, was murdered in the attack, visited Ahmed al-Ahmed, a Syrian-born Muslim who confronted and neutralized one of the terrorists during the assault. Also present was Sam Issa, Ahmed’s attorney.

Speaking to Ahmed as he lay in his hospital bed, his arm in a cast, Rabbi Kastel expressed deep gratitude. “Thank you, not only for saving lives, but for your courage,” he said. “The fact that you come not from a Jewish background but from a Muslim background makes this especially meaningful. Truly, thank you.”

Ahmed responded simply: “Exactly. We are all brothers. We are all human beings.”

Rabbi Kastel replied, “We have no words.”

Ahmed added that the visit itself meant a great deal to him. “The fact that you came here to visit is meaningful to me,” he said. “No matter what happens, we are all human beings. It doesn’t matter which religion. We must stand together and save lives.”

During the visit, Rabbi Kastel introduced his brother Zalman and presented Ahmed with a deeply personal gift. He explained that within the Jewish community, the Lubavitcher Rebbe would distribute a dollar to individuals every Sunday, encouraging them to give another dollar to charity. “I want to give you a dollar that the Rebbe gave me in 1988,” Rabbi Kastel said.

Ahmed responded with humility. “We are all human beings, and it is important to save lives,” he said. “I was simply walking with my cousin to buy something and get a haircut, but God sent me to save lives.”

Sam Issa, Ahmed’s attorney, provided an update on his condition. “He is stable but in pain,” Issa said. “He was shot four times in his left arm and lost sensation. He is expected to undergo several surgeries, one of them today. Despite the pain, his spirits are good.”

Issa added that Ahmed told him he would act the same way again. “He said that despite the pain, despite everything he went through and the surgeries ahead, he would do it again, because he knows he saved many lives.”

{Matzav.com}

Calls for the resignation of Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez intensified after he circulated a series of antisemitic conspiracy theories online, including a claim that a deadly attack in Australia was staged. The allegations were first reported by Richmondside.

Among the content Martinez shared on his LinkedIn account was a repost from a Palestinian Arab academic suggesting—without evidence—that the massacre of 15 people at a Hanukkah-related gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach was a “false flag” operation and may have been carried out by an IDF soldier.

One of the posts amplified by Martinez asserted that “paid actors have a history of carrying out the false flag, anti-Jewish attacks in Australia then blaming others.” Another claimed that “the root cause of antisemitism is the behavior of Israel & Israelis.”

The Bay Area chapter of the Jewish Community Relations Council sharply rebuked the mayor, sending a letter to media outlets accusing him of spreading hateful falsehoods. The group said Martinez “posted repeatedly on LinkedIn spreading false conspiracies blaming Jews for the Bondi Beach terror attack.”

“Such rhetoric is dangerously antisemitic, deeply offensive, and wholly unacceptable – particularly coming from a sitting mayor,” the JCRC wrote. “Words from public officials carry weight and when those words echo antisemitic tropes they place people at risk.”

In the wake of the backlash, Martinez removed the posts and issued a public apology on LinkedIn. “I want to apologize for sharing my previous posts without thinking. Of course we know that antisemitism was here before the creation of the state of Israel. As I’ve said many times before, we should not conflate Zionism with Judaism. They are two separate beliefs.”

Critics, however, said the apology fell far short. Former Los Angeles City Council candidate Sam Yebri told the New York Post that “Martinez has consistently and repeatedly trafficked in the worst antisemitism imaginable, and now has put the lives of his Jewish constituents in jeopardy.”

A Richmond rabbi also spoke to the Post, warning that “what we’re seeing is not legitimate criticism of Israeli policy. It’s hatred of Jews. And that’s where this road leads.”

The controversy is not Martinez’s first. He has previously drawn criticism over antisemitic behavior, including an August appearance in which he delivered a speech while wearing a hat emblazoned with the acronym “DDTTIDF,” standing for “Death, Death to the IDF,” further fueling concerns about a pattern of conduct.

{Matzav.com}