Matzav

Shas leader Aryeh Deri lashed out at Opposition Leader Yair Lapid on Monday, fiercely criticizing what he described as a dangerous and inflammatory accusation regarding military service exemptions for the chareidi community.

Lapid, speaking to the press before his Yesh Atid party’s weekly meeting in the Knesset, took aim at efforts by religious parties to legislate permanent draft exemptions for yeshiva students. He declared that Deri and Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee member Yaakov Asher “have no problem sending [reserve] soldiers to go fight and die on one condition: that their own children not die.”

Deri quickly issued a response, rejecting the accusation and defending his community’s contribution to national service. “The percentage of soldiers who serve and risk their lives among Shas voters is higher than among your party’s voters,” he stated.

He went on to accuse Lapid of targeting the chareidi public unfairly and irresponsibly. “Stop pointing an accusing finger at an entire community that contributes to the country with dedication… Your words are serious and false incitement,” Deri said.

He concluded by demanding that Lapid take back what he called a “inflammatory slur.”

Israel’s governing coalition was forced to pull all proposed legislation from the Knesset docket today after Shas and United Torah Judaism declared they would not take part in the session in protest of the continued delay in presenting a law to officially exempt yeshiva students from military service.

United Torah Judaism released a statement announcing their stance: “In light of the fact that the draft conscription law has not been introduced to date, contrary to commitments made… it will not vote with the coalition until the draft law is presented.”

Following the chareidi parties’ announcement, Likud notified its MKs that the legislative schedule was canceled. “You are free for today. Regarding the rest of the week – an announcement will come,” party leadership wrote to lawmakers.

Reacting to the disruption, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid criticized the government’s paralysis. “The coalition has stopped functioning. They don’t have a majority among the people. They don’t have a majority in the Knesset,” he said, renewing his demand for snap elections.

The refusal by Shas and UTJ to vote with the coalition marks a sharp escalation from their previous tactic, when they limited their protest to abstaining on individual private bills sponsored by coalition members.

According to reports in the chareidi press, Shas leader Aryeh Deri told his faction that the entire crisis stems from Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein backing away from a compromise that had previously been negotiated.

“Yuli Edelstein said he was done with the wording of the law and now it’s stuck with the committee’s legal adviser. They’re laughing at us. Not only will we not vote on bills, we won’t enter the plenum at all. They tried to tempt us with promoting a law on rabbinical courts — and we refused,” chareidi sources told Kan radio.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian alleged in an interview with American conservative commentator Tucker Carlson that Israel had made an attempt on his life.

“They did try, yes. They acted accordingly, but they failed,” Pezeshkian responded when Carlson asked if he believed Israel had tried to assassinate him.

Pezeshkian refrained from giving details such as when the alleged attempt took place or whether it coincided with Israel’s recent 12-day air assault on Iranian territory.

When Carlson pressed him on how he could be certain that an attempt had been made, Pezeshkian responded, “Of course, it was not the United States that was behind the attempt on my life… It was Israel,” according to a translated transcript from Persian to English used in the interview.

The Iranian leader explained that he had been in a meeting at the time of the incident. “I was in a meeting… but thanks to the intelligence by the spies that they had, they tried to bombard the area in which we were holding that meeting,” he recounted.

In the same interview, Pezeshkian addressed the topic of nuclear negotiations, indicating Iran is open to returning to the table if trust can be rebuilt between the two countries. “We see no problem in reentering the negotiations,” the Iranian president says.

Still, he stressed that certain assurances would be necessary before talks could resume. “There is a condition… for restarting the talks. How are we going to trust the United States again? We reentered the negotiations, then how can we know for sure that in the middle of the talks the Israeli regime will not be given the permission again to attack us?”

WATCH:

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of the Religious Zionist Party delivered a forceful speech during his party’s meeting on Monday, vowing to fight tooth and nail against any efforts to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

“Delivering logistical aid to Hamas is the craziest occurrence that I’ve come across since the war began. It harms the soldiers, it harms the hostages, it prolongs the war, and it’s bad for the State of Israel,” Smotrich said firmly.

He emphasized that he is unafraid to be the lone voice opposing the prevailing consensus. “I stood alone before the war when I opposed the assumption that Hamas was deterred, when I spoke out against the restraint against Hezbollah, and I stand today as well. I was right then, and I am right now too.”

Commenting on the broader movement toward reaching a temporary agreement with Hamas, he made his red lines clear. “There is one price that we will never be willing to pay – that is the surrender to Hamas terrorism. The saying ‘restraint is strength’ is dead. The idea of a Palestinian state is dead. The illusion that there’s someone to talk to is dead.”

Smotrich described the delivery of supplies into Gaza as a critical miscalculation. “It’s not a matter of military tactics or ranks on one’s shoulders, it’s a question of reason and determination. If Hamas is acting up to prevent aid from being cut off, it’s obvious that this is the right way.”

He also took aim at blind adherence to military brass, urging independent thinking even when faced with high-ranking opinions. “I love and appreciate the IDF Chief of Staff and commanders, but you can’t bow to generals. Not everything they say is correct, and those who forgot the dozens of generals who supported the disengagement [from the Gaza Strip] should go back and remember what they promised us.”

Smotrich ended his remarks with a defiant note, underscoring his purpose in government. “I am not here to be embraced in the TV studios. I am here for the soldiers, for the residents of the Gaza envelope, for the truth. We will continue to strive for victory, even if it takes time, even if we’re the only voice left in the room.”

{Matzav.com}

MK Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beytenu party, launched a fierce attack against the Israeli coalition, asserting that the government is actively obstructing efforts to finalize a comprehensive agreement to secure the release of the hostages.

During a speech that opened his party’s faction meeting, Lieberman issued a scathing remark: “The soldiers who fell in the last few months did not fall for Israel’s security — they fell on the altar of coalition preservation.”

In response to Lieberman’s accusations, Yehuda Vald, Director-General of the Religious Zionism party, issued a strongly worded rebuttal. “Liberman’s statement is the epitome of insensitivity, cynicism, and heartlessness,” Vald stated.

He continued, condemning Lieberman’s rhetoric as a betrayal of the military’s sacrifices. “While our heroic soldiers are fighting in Gaza to bring back the hostages and destroy Hamas, he tells them they’re there for nothing. While mothers bury their sons who fought for the country, he spits in their faces and desecrates their deaths. Lieberman has no place in Israeli politics. Period.”

Adding to the outrage, bereaved father Itzik Bonzel lashed out at Liberman, comparing his stance to that of controversial Arab MKs. “Lieberman and Yair Golan are truly fully cooperating, working hand in hand with [Joint List MKs] Ofer Cassif and Ayman Odeh. Mr. Lieberman, you have lost it. ‘Take your shoes off your feet’ when you speak about our holy sons.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

A newly uncovered internal campaign memo reveals that Joe Biden’s advisors pushed him to commit to an early debate with Donald Trump in hopes of securing a broader audience ahead of the crowded summer season.

The confidential six-page strategy paper, dated April 15, 2024—just over two months before Biden’s ill-fated debate showing—oddly features bolded and capitalized references to the 46th president throughout the text.

“By holding the first debate in the spring, YOU will be able to reach the widest audience possible, before we are deep in the summer months with the conventions, Olympics, and family vacations taking precedence,” the memo stated, according to Politico.

The strategy laid out in the document aimed to place Biden side-by-side with Trump early, hoping the contrast would benefit the sitting president.

“In addition, the earlier YOU are able to debate the better, so that the American people can see YOU standing next to Trump and showing the strength of YOUR leadership, compared to Trump’s weakness and chaos,” it added.

The internal memo is cited in the new political book 2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America, authored by Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager, and Isaac Arnsdorf.

Just prior to the memo’s circulation, Trump’s camp issued a public challenge to Biden, urging him to step onto the debate stage ahead of the traditional fall schedule, declaring he would debate “anytime, anywhere, anyplace.”

“Your senior advisors, including Ron [Klain, former White House chief of staff] and Cedric [Richmond, then campaign co-chair], continue to believe it is important to move forward with a plan that supports your participation in debates as early as possible,” the memo also emphasized.

The document warned against waiting until late in the campaign season, arguing that by then, many voters in key swing states would have already submitted mail-in ballots or missed registration deadlines.

“YOUR Senior Advisors think strategically holding these debates in the fall, after many of the battleground states have already begun their early voting process and voter registration deadlines have passed is too late,” the memo stated, pointing to states like Wisconsin and North Carolina.

The plan outlined in the memo proposed hosting a debate prior to the Democratic National Convention in August, and a follow-up after Labor Day. The idea was to reassess the campaign’s direction after the first showdown.

Biden’s team homed in on June 26 or 27 for the first debate, aligning the date with his travel schedule and notable events such as the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade.

One month after the memo’s drafting, Biden officially issued a challenge to Trump to meet him onstage, a proposition the Trump campaign immediately accepted.

The candidates agreed on two debate dates: the first on June 27, the second scheduled for September 10.

That second debate never took place. Biden’s disastrous first performance triggered panic within the Democratic Party, and mounting pressure ultimately forced him to end his re-election campaign on July 21.

{Matzav.com}

The chareidi factions in the Knesset issued a strong warning Monday morning, signaling they may intensify their protest and halt support for coalition-backed legislation unless serious movement is made on the long-stalled Draft Law.

As reported by Kan Reshet Bet, the main form of pressure being considered by the chareidi lawmakers is to withhold cooperation on legislative matters, including bills introduced by the government itself.

Despite the standoff, United Torah Judaism representatives are facing a key decision Monday: whether to back the appointment of their own member, MK Yisroel Eichler, as Minister of Construction and Housing.

While insiders anticipate that UTJ members will ultimately cast their votes in favor of Eichler’s appointment so he can take up the ministerial role, the final word will come only after the party convenes internally.

Officials within both Shas and United Torah Judaism have said they expect MK Yuli Edelstein, who heads the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, to bring the Draft Law forward. They remain hopeful that there will be sufficient time to pass it before the Knesset wraps up its summer session in three weeks.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

R’ Binyomin Kubani is sitting in jail.

Yes, still. After being arrested on a baseless charge, with video footage that clears him, after public outcry and protests, after headlines and meetings and “connections being called”—a kollel yungerman, a father, who did absolutely nothing wrong, is still behind bars.

And what have our “askanim” accomplished?

Nothing.

I’m not saying they didn’t try. They may have stayed up all night. They may have devoted every second. But they were not effective.

What have our “elected officials,” the ones we proudly parade around, the ones who send us polished statements and take pictures — what have they done?

Nothing.

Let’s say it clearly: this story rips off the illusion we’ve built for ourselves and throws us face-first into the harsh, undeniable truth: We are in golus. Real, unvarnished, spine-chilling golus. The kind we read about in books and say we can’t relate to. Well, guess what? It’s here. Now. And it’s not a chapter in Jewish history. It’s the front page of today’s news.

We don’t belong here.

We are living in a country that tolerates us, not one that truly accepts us. We built communities, we followed the law, we worked hard, we sent lobbyists, we learned how to smile and play the game—but deep down, we’re still the Jew with the yarmulka, still the outsider, still the one who can be accused and arrested without a shred of evidence while everyone else “lets the process play out.”

What process?

A video clears him. Common sense clears him. Human decency clears him. And yet, he sits.

Because we’re in golus.

And our “askanim”? Our “power brokers”? Let’s be honest. It’s a nice title. It looks good on WhatsApp statuses. But when it came time to actually wield influence, they folded like paper. All the connections, all the dinners, all the handshakes…they amount to nothing when a Jew is thrown into a cage and we can’t get him out.

We’re not as powerful as we thought we were. In fact, we’re powerless.

And our elected officials? They like us when we fill their campaign coffers. They love us when we deliver votes in key districts. But when the mob turns on a Jew, when the winds shift, they vanish. Powerless.

The joke’s on us.

We convinced ourselves that we were comfortable in golus. We learned to love it here. We mistook tolerance for permanence. We thought we could live like everyone else. But moments like these rip off the mask and remind us that we’re still in the hands of a system that was never built to protect us.

We’re not home.

And if this isn’t a wake-up call, I don’t know what is. A yungerman sits in a jail cell, stripped of his dignity, his freedom, his basic rights. And we? We’re left grasping for answers, scrambling for someone—anyone—to step up and do what’s right.

But there’s no one to rely on. Ein lanu al mi lehisha’ein ela al Avinu shebashamayim. And maybe that’s the point. Maybe Hashem is showing us, again, that it’s time to open our eyes. Time to remember where we are. Time to realize we’ve been lulled into a false sense of security.

This isn’t just about R’ Binyomin Kubani.

This is about a nation that forgot it was in golus.

Let us be shaken. Let us be furious. Let us cry out—not just for him, but for ourselves. Because until we remember where we truly are, we won’t begin to daven for where we need to be.

A Yid in Golus

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{Matzav.com}

Zohran Mamdani, the Muslim socialist candidate in New York City’s mayoral race, has drawn renewed scrutiny after disturbing past comments made by his father resurfaced—statements linking Abraham Lincoln to Adolf Hitler and equating Allied actions in World War II to those of the Nazis. The controversy has intensified amid Mamdani’s own history of promoting far-left positions.

At a 2022 panel event hosted by the Asia Society, Mamdani’s father, Mahmood Mamdani—a professor at Columbia University—made the startling assertion that the United States pioneered global settler-colonialism and that Abraham Lincoln’s Civil War policies provided the Nazis with a model for genocide.

“With the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln generalized the solution of reservations, they herded American Indians into separate territories,” said Mamdani. “For the Nazis, this was the inspiration – Hitler realized two things: one, that genocide is doable. It is possible to do genocide, that’s what Hitler realized. Second thing Hitler realized, is that you don’t have to have a common citizenship.”

Professor Mamdani, who holds the Herbert Lehman chair in government at Columbia, went on to claim that Germany’s infamous Nuremberg Laws—widely recognized as a cornerstone of Nazi racial policy—were inspired by American legal precedents.

He also argued that there is no meaningful distinction between nationalism and colonialism and claimed that the postwar efforts by Allied forces mirrored Nazi ideals.

“The Nazi political project was shared by the Allies, and that political project was to turn Germany into a ‘pure’ nation. A ‘pure’ nation rid of its minorities,” Mamdani declared.

“When the Allies defeated the Nazis and went into Eastern Europe, they began to create ‘pure’ nations. To ethnically cleanse Eastern Europe of Germans – move them back into Germany. One crime doesn’t wipe out another.”

As Mamdani’s political profile grows following a surprising performance in New York’s Democratic mayoral primary, his own controversial statements—alongside those of his father—are being scrutinized more closely.

One video from a 2021 Young Democratic Socialists of America event captured Mamdani telling attendees that they should never compromise on revolutionary objectives, stating explicitly the need to “seiz[e] the means of production.”

Another video, produced by The Gravel Institute, features Mamdani advocating for a complete overhaul of the housing market. In his view, residential real estate should no longer be private property but a collective good. “If we want to end the housing crisis, the solution has to be moving toward the full de-commodification of housing,” Mamdani said in the video, calling for a system with shared amenities like co-op kitchens and communal laundromats.

Critics argue that the views expressed by his father reflect the ideological environment in which Mamdani was raised, potentially shaping his approach to governance. A New York Times profile described Mamdani’s upbringing as one enriched by political discourse, thanks in part to his father’s academic influence and his mother’s work as an Oscar-nominated filmmaker.

In another interview promoting his book Good Muslim, Bad Muslim: America, the Cold War, and the Roots of Terror, Professor Mamdani minimized the distinction between suicide bombers and traditional military personnel. He claimed that “suicide bomber” is a misleading term and equated such attackers to “soldier[s] whose objective is to kill.”

Perhaps most provocatively, the elder Mamdani has reportedly described the State of Israel as “the logical conclusion of Nazism,” according to academic material cited by the Washington Free Beacon.

{Matzav.com}

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has raised alarms about what he describes as a potential apocalyptic scenario: a joint military offensive launched by China and Russia that could ignite World War III. Rutte outlined a chilling vision in which Chinese leader Xi Jinping targets Taiwan while Russian President Vladimir Putin simultaneously initiates an attack on NATO territory in Europe—an escalation that, according to Rutte, could bring the world to the brink of annihilation.

Rutte warned that China might move on Taiwan, but not without coordinating with the Kremlin. He suggested that Putin could exploit the chaos by striking vulnerable NATO members, especially the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—former Soviet republics that have long feared renewed aggression from Moscow.

He emphasized that Putin is currently engaged in efforts to undermine European stability, all while carefully observing how the West and its partners react to his provocations.

Speaking with The New York Times, Rutte explained the dire need for NATO countries to drastically ramp up their military spending and preparedness to prevent what he characterized as an ultimate showdown between good and evil. “Let’s not be naïve about this,” he cautioned, adding: “If Xi Jinping would attack Taiwan, he would first make sure that he makes a call to his very junior partner in all of this, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, residing in Moscow, and telling him, ‘Hey, I’m going to do this, and I need you to to keep them busy in Europe by attacking NATO territory. That is most likely the way this will progress, and to deter them, we need to do two things.”

Rutte, who previously served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, stated that the West must immediately bolster its defense posture by meeting two critical goals: “One is that NATO, collectively, being so strong that the Russians will never do this.

“And second, working together with the Indo-Pacific – something President [Donald] Trump is very much promoting, because we have this close interconnectedness, working together on defence industry, innovation between NATO and the Indo-Pacific.”

He also stressed that Russia is accelerating its military build-up and warned that democratic nations must act swiftly to keep pace with Putin’s growing arsenal. “We have an enormous geopolitical challenge on our hands,” he admitted.

Dmitry Medvedev, a senior figure in Putin’s security circle and Russia’s former president, derided Rutte’s prediction in a post on X, writing: “Rutte has clearly gorged on too many of the magic mushrooms beloved by the Dutch.”

Rutte’s grim outlook comes as Russia continues to intensify its military assault on Ukraine. Just days ago, Putin reportedly told President Trump in a phone call that he had no intention of ending the war or relinquishing any seized territory.

“We had a call. It was a pretty long call and we talked about a lot of things, including Iran and we also talked about, you know, the war with Ukraine,” Trump said to reporters while speaking from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, according to UPI.

{Matzav.com}

[COMMUNICATED]

Handwritten and autographed letter by the Ksav Sofer, Rabbi Avraham Shmuel Binyamin Sofer, Av Beis Din and Rosh Yeshiva of Pressburg, the eldest son and successor of the illustrious Chasam Sofer.

A shocking incident rocked the Zvhill Yeshiva in Yerushalayim’s Beis Yisroel neighborhood this week, as dozens of yeshiva bochurim who had been expelled stormed the building in protest, vandalizing the premises and causing damage estimated at over 100,000 shekel.

The dramatic episode unfolded after the sudden and unexpected closure of the yeshiva, leaving nearly 70 talmidim without any alternative learning framework.

The expulsion came after sweeping changes initiated by a newly appointed member of the yeshiva’s hanhalah, who had sought to transform Zvhill into a top-tier Chassidishe yeshiva. As part of that plan, the staff was replaced and a new direction was taken. Then, the talmidim were told that the yeshiva would shut down by the end of the zeman, and that no assistance would be provided in helping them find new yeshivos. “Everyone should fend for themselves,” they were told.

In a symbolic and provocative act of protest, the expelled bochurim staged what they described as a “funeral” for the yeshiva. Inside the beis medrash, they constructed a bier from benches, placed a “body” draped in a tallis on top, and labeled it with a sign reading, “Zvhill Yeshiva HY”D.” One of the bochurim, dressed in mourning garb, delivered a mock hesped.

Desperate appeals were made by distraught parents and shocked bochurim, who pointed out that yeshiva registration had long closed in most places for the upcoming zeman, and that they had been left with no place to go. The education official who orchestrated the closure reportedly reiterated that he would not assist any bochur in securing a new yeshiva.

In the weeks prior, rumors spread that the yeshiva would reopen under a new name—Yeshivas Beis Mordechai—and become a klal chassidishe yeshiva, no longer carrying the Zvhill name. Reports also surfaced of arrangements being made with other chassidic groups like Nadvorna and Skulen in Yerushalayim, as well as Yeshivas Meor Einayim of Rachmastrivka, to send their talmidim to this new institution. The revamped yeshiva would reportedly accept only select talmidim and be under the exclusive direction of the same educational figure.

This method—closing a yeshiva, reopening it under new terms, and enforcing stricter takanos—is not unusual in the chassidishe yeshiva world.

But events came to a head this past week, when the remaining talmidim were abruptly informed in the middle of the day that the yeshiva was being closed immediately and that they had to pack their belongings and leave. Some left quietly. Others erupted in anger.

What followed was a riot. Enraged students vandalized the building, destroying property and creating chaos. Security guards, some visibly armed, were called in to subdue the crowd. The confrontation quickly escalated into a physical altercation.

Amid the pandemonium, the Rebbe of Zvhill, who had left the building just an hour earlier, returned. Witnesses say he walked into the beis medrash, shouted “Get out of here, you chutzpahdike boys!” and watched with visible anguish as the rioting talmidim fled in disarray.

Despite their anger, the expelled talmidim insist they will not switch allegiances to the rival Zvhill yeshiva run by the Rebbe’s uncle. “We remain loyal to our roots,” one said. “We won’t go to the other Zvhill yeshiva. We are separating between the chassidus and the yeshiva.”

Originally, the hanhalah had planned to offer the expelled bochurim a temporary placement in the Zvhill beis medrash in Beitar Illit until Av. However, following the outburst and destruction caused during the protest, that plan was rescinded.

Some talmidim tried to continue learning on their own in the beis medrash, without the presence of the yeshiva staff. But they were interrupted when the yeshiva’s building manager shut off the lights and air conditioning. Acting on what he described as a direct order from the Rebbe, he barred all of them from entering any Zvhill batei medrash in Israel.

The talmid concluded with pain in his voice: “Dozens of us are now out on the street. Even worse, some boys have started talking about enlisting in the army as a form of revenge against the hanhalah that tossed them aside without taking responsibility.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., tells ‘The Big Weekend Show’ how dangerous she believes Democratic NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani would be for the city.

WATCH:

A proposed agreement by Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter is sparking controversy and concern across Israel, as it could lead to an unprecedented rise in the prices of basic food items like bread and fruit. At the heart of the issue is a plan requiring Israel to shift from importing cheaper European wheat to significantly more expensive American wheat, a move critics warn will burden consumers and disproportionately hurt low-income families.

The backdrop to this controversy is ongoing tariff negotiations between Israel and the United States. President Donald Trump has demanded that Israel eliminate import duties on American fruits and vegetables. In exchange, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Israeli products if his request is denied. Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Finance Ministry have reportedly signaled agreement, a shift that could have led to lower prices for staples like tomatoes, apples, almonds, and peaches through increased U.S. imports.

However, Agriculture Minister Dichter has taken a markedly different approach, engaging in separate negotiations with U.S. officials. Under Dichter’s plan, Israel would maintain tariffs on sensitive agricultural goods and, in return, commit to sourcing 30% of its wheat imports from the United States.

This plan could hit Israeli consumers with a double financial blow.

Currently, Israel imports mostly European wheat, which is more affordable. Switching to U.S. wheat, as Dichter proposes, would drive up the cost of all bread products—including those under price controls. While the Finance Ministry opposes the proposal on grounds that it will inflate wheat prices, the Agriculture Ministry estimates the increase at a mere 10%.

Beyond bread, the refusal to eliminate tariffs on fruits and vegetables means that prices for these items would remain high—or possibly rise further if the U.S. retaliates with tariffs on Israeli exports.

Critics also point to what they call the “myth of food security.” Despite rhetoric suggesting Israel must protect local wheat production for national resilience, the reality is that more than 90% of Israel’s wheat has always been imported. Locally grown wheat is expensive and inconsistent in quality, making it unsuitable for large-scale bread production.

Still, flour mills in Israel are legally required to purchase one kilogram of Israeli wheat for every ten kilograms of imported wheat, even when there is no practical need for it. This regulation raises bread prices and disproportionately affects the country’s most vulnerable citizens.

Dichter’s new proposal would go a step further by mandating that imported wheat come specifically from the U.S., eliminating the cheaper European option altogether. The result, critics argue, would be an even steeper increase in wheat prices—under the guise of promoting “food security,” which they claim is simply a cover for shielding certain domestic producers from free-market competition.

The final decision now rests with Prime Minister Netanyahu, who must make a ruling by July 9, when negotiations with the U.S. are set to conclude. Will he accept Trump’s original proposal, which would lower food prices, or will he side with Dichter on a deal that may leave Israelis paying more for their fruits and bread?

Whatever the outcome, the decision will have a direct impact on the cost of living for every household in Israel.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Hamas’s internal security division, known as the “deterrence” unit, revealed that it carried out a wave of operations last week that culminated in the execution of 12 individuals. These individuals were accused of working with Israel and participating in various criminal acts.

In an official announcement, Hamas alleged that those executed were involved in providing intelligence to Israel, looting property, and committing violent robberies.

The organization reported that three of the men had been sentenced to death after being convicted of “serious security offenses that endangered the security and stability of society.”

According to the statement, the individuals were associated with the “Abu Marsib crime gang,” an outfit said to be active in Gaza’s central region.

“Our message is clear: there is no room for chaos in the Gaza Strip,” the group declared. “Punishment will continue on the ground as long as necessary. The campaign will persist until the last of the agents and criminals is eliminated.”

Although this security unit has operated for years, incidents involving Hamas’s aggressive purges of suspected collaborators have become more common since the start of the war in October 2023.

Despite the legal requirement that execution orders in Gaza be approved by Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas—who resides in Ramallah and placed a ban on executions years ago—Hamas has routinely ignored that process.

The organization no longer acknowledges Abbas’s authority and has previously insisted that capital punishment in Gaza can proceed without his endorsement.

Many of those put to death by Hamas have been accused of spying for Israel. In September 2022, Hamas executed two Palestinian Arabs found guilty of helping Israel by passing on information that led to the deaths of two individuals.

In May 2023, a military court in Gaza handed down death sentences to several Palestinian Arabs who were convicted of transmitting intelligence to Israel, with the punishments to be carried out by hanging or firing squad.

Later, in December of the same year, Hamas announced the arrest of several Palestinians who were allegedly working with Israel to gather intelligence in Gaza following the group’s October 7 massacre.

{Matzav.com}

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President Trump took to Truth Social on Sunday with a fiery message aimed squarely at Elon Musk, once seen as a powerful political ally. In the post, Trump expressed frustration over Musk’s recent behavior and his decision to form a new political movement in protest of the president’s latest legislative victory.

“I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely ‘off the rails,’ essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks,” Trump wrote Sunday afternoon.

The president continued his critique, referencing Musk’s new political group and blasting the broader idea of launching alternative parties in the U.S. political landscape.

“He even wants to start a Third Political Party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States – The System seems not designed for them,” he added. “The one thing Third Parties are good for is the creation of Complete and Total DISRUPTION & CHAOS, and we have enough of that with the Radical Left Democrats, who have lost their confidence and their minds!”

Before issuing his online statement, Trump fielded a question from the press regarding Musk’s newly announced “America Party” during a stop near Air Force One.

“I think it’s ridiculous to start a third party,” Trump said in response to a reporter’s question, adding later: “So he can have fun with it, but I think it’s ridiculous.”

The latest back-and-forth further illustrates the deteriorating relationship between the two influential figures. Musk had just announced his party yesterday, citing his strong opposition to a legislative package pushed by Trump and recently signed into law.

“By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!,” Musk wrote on X. “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”

Whether Musk will move forward with establishing the party remains unclear. But his announcement reignited tensions between the billionaire and the president, tensions that had only recently calmed after earlier disputes surrounding the same piece of legislation.

Trump has consistently claimed that Musk’s disapproval stems from the bill’s removal of subsidies for electric vehicles — a policy shift that directly impacts Musk’s businesses. He reiterated that point in his Truth Social post.

“It is a Great Bill but, unfortunately for Elon, it eliminates the ridiculous Electric Vehicle (EV) Mandate, which would have forced everyone to buy an Electric Car in a short period of time,” Trump wrote. “I have been strongly opposed to that from the very beginning.”

While the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act included tax credits for electric vehicle purchases, Trump’s newly signed legislation did away with those incentives — a change that has drawn significant attention from both political and industry leaders.

“I have campaigned on this for two years and, quite honestly, when Elon gave me his total and unquestioned Endorsement, I asked him whether or not he knew that I was going to terminate the EV Mandate – It was in every speech I made, and in every conversation I had,” Trump wrote on Sunday. “He said he had no problems with that – I was very surprised!”

In addition to founding the “America Party,” Musk has declared he will pour financial resources into campaigns aimed at unseating Republican lawmakers who supported the legislation. He also pledged to support Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who broke ranks with Trump by voting against the bill.

The tension between the two men has grown noticeably in recent months. Despite Musk’s vocal support for Trump during the last election cycle, disagreements over policy have repeatedly brought their relationship to the brink. After a temporary truce last month, their feud has reignited once more.

Some within the GOP are concerned about the fallout. With next year’s elections looming and the party’s House majority at risk, Musk’s third-party movement and threats to target fellow Republicans could pose a serious distraction.

“One of the most destructive behaviors that we’ve had in cycles where we’ve been unsuccessful in Senate races … are those in which we have expended massive resources in intraparty warfare,” one Republican consultant told The Hill, commenting on Musk’s emerging role in the primary landscape.

{Matzav.com}

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., joins ‘Sunday Mornings Futures’ to give the latest on the investigation into former President Joe Biden’s health and autopen use as well as his subpoena of former Jill Biden aide Anthony Bernal.

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{Matzav.com}