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President Donald Trump escalated his ongoing public dispute with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday by sharing a meme on social media portraying her as obsessively fixated on him, adding another chapter to the increasingly bitter exchange between the two leaders.

The image showed Meloni looking toward Trump, with the caption across the top reading, “RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED,” implying that she was behaving like a stalker.

The post was one of several images Trump shared throughout the day. Among them were a picture of him arm-wrestling Hulk Hogan, photos depicting him delivering speeches at Mount Rushmore and other locations, and a nostalgic early-1990s photograph featuring Trump alongside Marla Maples and Macaulay Culkin.

Trump also uploaded an altered image showing ex-President Barack Obama and ex-First Lady Michelle Obama boarding Air Force One. The edited photo featured “BLM,” Obama’s campaign slogan “Yes We Can,” and Arabic writing spray-painted across the aircraft.

The latest jab follows an increasingly public feud that erupted after last month’s conflict with Iran. Trump sharply criticized Meloni and several European governments, accusing them of failing to adequately support the United States during the military campaign. He also claimed he refused to take a photograph with Meloni at the G7 Summit in France because Italy allegedly declined to permit the United States to use “Italy’s landing strips or runways,” creating what he described as a “great logistical inconvenience.”

Trump further suggested that Meloni was now attempting to repair the relationship for political reasons.

“She wants to be friends again in order to get her ‘numbers up,’” Trump added. “No thanks!!!”

Meloni responded forcefully, describing Trump’s remarks as both “unprovoked” and “senseless,” while rejecting the notion that her political standing depended on her relationship with the American president.

“My popularity depends on my ability to defend Italy’s national interest, and that is exactly what I have always done,” she said. “That is also what I did regarding the American military bases in Italy. Their use is governed by agreements that we have always respected, and that cannot be violated as long as I am Prime Minister.”

She concluded with another pointed response directed at Trump.

“Italy remains a sovereign nation. In any case, my popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours.”

The increasingly heated rhetoric marks a dramatic shift from the cordial relationship the two leaders once enjoyed. Meloni had long been viewed as one of Trump’s closest political allies among European leaders. During a speech last year, Trump even praised her as a “beautiful young woman,” joking that such a compliment would normally amount to political suicide but saying he was willing to take the risk.

In recent weeks, Trump has also criticized NATO, arguing that the alliance failed to provide sufficient support during the conflict with Iran.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] A video has ignited debate over the issue of military service for bnei yeshivos, featuring a thoughtful exchange between a secular driver and several yeshiva bochurim. During the conversation, one of the students offered a heartfelt explanation of how he would respond to a mother whose son is serving on the front lines in Gaza, concluding that while every profession is essential, “talmidei chachamim are needed more than anything.”

The video shows a secular driver transporting several yeshiva bochurim. During the ride, he raised the emotionally charged topic of drafting bnei yeshivos and asked one of the students how he would answer a mother whose son is currently fighting in Gaza or Lebanon.

The yeshiva bochur responded by sharpening the question itself.

“Everyone asks the question: What do I, as a yeshiva bochur, say to a mother whose son is in Gaza? At a time when soldiers are being killed in Gaza and Lebanon, there is a mother who cannot sleep at night because she knows there is a chance that a drone could strike her son, while my mother sleeps peacefully knowing that I am sitting and learning in yeshiva.”

He acknowledged that it is “a powerful and legitimate question,” but argued that the issue should be viewed from a broader perspective.

“Not every mother of a soldier lies awake at night. There are mothers of army cooks, broadcasters on Army Radio, or guards stationed at bases in central Israel. The military includes many roles that are not directly dangerous, yet every person has his own mission.”

At that point, the driver interrupted, saying, “I understand your message, but whether a mother loses sleep doesn’t determine the importance of the role. Every person is a meaningful cog in a much larger system.”

The yeshiva bochur agreed, replying, “That’s true, but it’s important to understand that every person in the world has a mission. Someone whom Hakadosh Baruch Hu designated for Torah study has been privileged with that mission.”

He continued by explaining that, while his words might sound extreme to some, they reflect the Jewish understanding of the nation’s identity.

“Maybe this sounds extreme, but it באמת isn’t. We didn’t become a nation at the signing of Israel’s Declaration of Independence. We became a nation thousands of years ago, when we stood together at the foot of Har Sinai and received the Torah.”

He went on to cite the opening of the Aseres Hadibros, saying that the first commandment, “Anochi Hashem Elokecha,” teaches that Jews are obligated to follow Hashem’s will. He added that the mitzvah of “vehagisa bo yomam valaylah” is fulfilled most completely by yeshiva students who devote their lives to Torah learning instead of pursuing careers or other occupations.

Concluding his remarks, the student said, “We sit from morning until night and learn Torah. As arrogant as it may sound, it’s true—we are the heart of the Jewish people. The Jewish nation has always stood, and will always stand, on Torah. And again, we need an army, we need doctors, we need architects, and we need people to pave roads.”

“But more than anything, we need talmidei chachamim. Because talmidei chachamim are not merely a tool that enables us to live—they are the very essence and soul of our nation.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Tensions flared Sunday along Bar-Ilan Street in Yerushalayim as dozens of demonstrators protesting the construction of the city’s new light rail line entered the construction zone, prompting a large police response and leading to at least one arrest during chaotic confrontations.

According to reports from the scene, protesters breached the site’s security barriers and entered the active construction area, where they allegedly damaged engineering infrastructure and attempted to disrupt work while blocking major traffic routes.

As the situation escalated and concerns grew that one of Yerushalayim’s primary thoroughfares could be severely disrupted, large numbers of police officers were dispatched to the area. Forces from the Yerushalayim District, together with Border Police personnel and special patrol units, surrounded the construction site and worked to restore order.

A police officer at the scene formally declared the gathering an unlawful assembly and instructed the demonstrators to leave immediately. While some complied, others refused and continued protesting inside the construction zone.

The demonstrations are part of an ongoing campaign by members of the Eidah Hachareidis, who have repeatedly protested plans to route one of Yerushalayim’s new light rail lines through the Bar-Ilan neighborhood following a decision by the Yerushalayim Municipality.

Footage from the scene captured dramatic moments as police entered the excavation area, which contains deep trenches, loose sand, and large exposed infrastructure pipes. Video showed officers from the riot police and Border Police taking a protester into custody after he positioned himself among the massive pipes at the bottom of the construction site.

Additional footage showed officers dressed in black uniforms surrounding the suspect amid the dusty construction area, while dozens of chareidi residents and bystanders gathered behind the site’s fencing, loudly voicing their opposition as the arrest unfolded.

Police said they will not permit damage to critical infrastructure projects or interference with traffic throughout the city. Authorities confirmed that one suspect was arrested on suspicion of intentionally damaging construction equipment and actively participating in the disturbances.

Security forces remained heavily deployed along Bar-Ilan Street and surrounding roads following the incident in an effort to prevent further unrest and maintain public order.

Opponents of the project argue that the light rail’s planned route through the neighborhood presents religious concerns and should not proceed. The area has been the site of numerous large demonstrations in recent years, including mass protests led by the Gaavad of the Eidah Hachareidis, some of which ended in violent confrontations with police, including the burning of dumpsters and the use of water cannons by law enforcement.