Matzav

Donald Trump released a handwritten message on Monday addressed to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, calling on him to make significant interest rate cuts — a continuation of Trump’s criticism of the Fed’s current monetary policy.

Taking to Truth Social, Trump blasted Powell and the rest of the Federal Reserve’s leadership, writing, “They should be ashamed of themselves” for not bringing down interest rates.

“They have one of the easiest, yet most prestigious, jobs in America, and they have FAILED — And continue to do so,” Trump stated in his post.

Accompanying his remarks was a photo showing interest rates from central banks across various countries. Trump had marked up the image with a Sharpie, directing a pointed message at Powell.

“Jerome – You are, as usual, ‘too late.’ You have cost the USA A fortune – and continue to do so – you should lower the rate – by a lot!” Trump wrote.

He went on to add: “Hundreds of billions of dollars being lost! No inflation,” and concluded with his signature.

Trump also scrawled a note contending that the U.S. should be listed among nations with interest rates at or below 1.75 percent.

Earlier this year, Federal Reserve officials had signaled an expectation of rate cuts as inflation showed signs of aligning with their 2 percent annual target. However, the central bank has refrained from reducing rates during the first half of 2025, in part due to economic unpredictability stemming from Trump’s proposed tariffs.

On Wednesday, Powell once again emphasized a cautious approach, after the Fed opted to leave interest rates unchanged.

Trump has repeatedly targeted Powell in recent months, dubbing him “Too Late,” and lambasting the Fed’s reluctance to lower borrowing costs. Although Trump appointed Powell to the position back in 2017, he has publicly entertained the idea of removing him. Powell is currently set to remain in the role until 2026.

{Matzav.com}

A political firestorm is brewing within United Torah Judaism, with serious implications for the faction’s internal balance and particularly for Degel HaTorah. Minister Meir Porush of Agudas Yisroel is threatening to resign from the government if MK Yisrael Eichler is not appointed housing minister in the wake of Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf’s departure.

Porush is demanding that the Housing Ministry be handed over to Eichler, the representative of the Belzer chassidus, and has issued an ultimatum to Prime Minister Netanyahu. Should Porush follow through on his threat, MK Yaakov Bruchi—Degel HaTorah’s representative who only returned to the Knesset this morning under the Norwegian Law—would be forced out once again.

The fallout for Degel HaTorah could be severe: it would lose another parliamentary seat, and Deputy Minister Uri Maklev, a key member of the party’s Litvishe contingent in the government, might also resign. That, in turn, could force MK Moshe Shimon Roth out of the Knesset.

The crisis is also escalating internal tensions within Agudas Yisroel. Eichler, backed by Porush, is seeking control of the Housing Ministry, but Motty Babchik—representing the Gerer chassidus and a close adviser to Netanyahu—is working hard behind the scenes to block the appointment.

Responding to the controversy in a radio interview Monday evening, MK Moshe Shimon Roth of Agudas Yisroel said regarding the Eichler appointment saga: “Let them ask the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. The current leadership under Goldknopf has done good work and should remain in place for the benefit of the community.”

A source in the Prime Minister’s Office said that Babchik delivered a clear warning to Netanyahu: “If the ministry goes to Eichler, it will be a divorce between Ger and Likud.”

Meanwhile, insiders within UTJ are dismissing Porush’s motives, recalling that he previously told Degel HaTorah MKs that his support for Eichler’s appointment was merely for the sake of unity and in order to facilitate Bruchi’s return to the Knesset. Now, many believe that his true objective was to secure the ministerial position for Eichler, not to help Bruchi.

A Degel HaTorah official, reacting to the proposal, noted that according to procedure, a Norwegian Law minister who resigns and wishes to return to the Knesset must face a Knesset vote. If Porush acts against Bruchi’s interests, Degel HaTorah would no longer feel bound by any commitments to him.

In recent days, Degel HaTorah had made efforts to reinstate MK Bruchi via the Norwegian Law—a plan that succeeded this morning following Deputy Minister Tzvi Tesler’s resignation. But now, with Porush threatening to make good on his ultimatum, the entire strategy may collapse.

In a significant shakeup within Israeli politics, the National Unity party revealed on Sunday that MK Gadi Eisenkot, its second-ranking member and a former IDF chief of staff, would be stepping down from both the party and the Knesset.

“Member of Knesset Lt. Gen. (res.) Gadi Eisenkot informed National Unity Party chairman Benny Gantz of his intention to leave the party and return his mandate to it,” the official party statement read. “The two emphasized their long-standing friendship and mutual respect, and stated that they will continue to collaborate toward shared goals and for the benefit of the people of Israel in the future as well,” the statement added.

Eisenkot had joined Gantz for the 2022 election campaign under the condition that the party would move toward greater internal democracy, including leadership primaries. However, Gantz did not follow through on that commitment.

Although the party declared on June 1 that it would introduce reforms aimed at democratizing its internal structure, those changes still gave Gantz full authority to appoint the 150-person committee responsible for selecting the party leader. This arrangement effectively blocked Eisenkot from mounting a legitimate leadership challenge.

In light of his departure, Eisenkot has reportedly held talks with both Yair Lapid, who heads the opposition, and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. He is said to be weighing the possibility of aligning with one or both of them in advance of the next national election.

Eisenkot’s exit will open a seat for the next candidate on the National Unity list—former Ra’anana mayor and current MK Eytan Ginzburg—who will now enter the Knesset.

This development delivers a blow to Gantz, who has tried to present a solid alliance with Eisenkot in the face of persistent rumors that Eisenkot was planning to leave. He becomes the fifth lawmaker to depart the party, following the March 2024 exit of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who split from Gantz over disagreements on Gaza policy while the party was still part of the ruling coalition.

Shortly after the news was made public, Gantz issued a personal statement: “Following a deep and lengthy process of conversations between us, my friend Gadi Eisenkot informed me today that he has decided to leave the National Unity party and resign from the Knesset. In recent weeks, significant ideological differences have emerged between us regarding the right way to serve the State of Israel,” Gantz said.

“Gadi is, first and foremost, a personal friend. He is a worthy individual who has served the country for decades, and I am confident he will continue to serve it in his own way. Even if our political partnership has come to an end at this time — our friendship and mutual respect will remain,” Gantz concluded.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to Washington next Monday, and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer will also be in the U.S. capital on the same day.

The Israeli cabinet convened recently but chose to hold off on any major decisions related to Gaza until they receive an update on Dermer’s meetings in Washington.

On Sunday, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social calling for a resolution in Gaza, writing, “get the hostages back!!!”

Trump previously stated that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is working on a deal with Hamas aimed at securing the release of the remaining hostages.

In recent remarks, Trump expressed sharp criticism of the legal proceedings against Netanyahu, arguing that the trial is obstructing efforts to negotiate with Hamas and Iran.

“The travesty of ‘Justice’ will interfere with both Iran and Hamas negotiations,” Trump wrote. “In other words, it is INSANITY doing what the out-of-control prosecutors are doing to Bibi Netanyahu.”

In response, Netanyahu posted his appreciation for Trump on Sunday, writing, “Together, we will make the Middle East Great Again!”

Netanyahu was last in Washington this past April. During that visit, he and Trump addressed key issues including the hostages held in Gaza, the endgame of the conflict there, and new tariffs that had recently been placed on Israeli goods by the Trump administration. Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to speak with Trump about the tariffs.

{Matzav.com}

The United Nations strongly criticized Israel’s recent directive ordering evacuations across both the northern and central regions of Gaza, cautioning that Palestinians are being corralled into increasingly smaller areas that are ill-equipped to handle the sheer volume of displaced civilians. The UN emphasized that many of these areas already lack the infrastructure to sustain basic human needs.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric reported during a press conference that the evacuation orders issued by the IDF on the previous day directly affect around 150,000 individuals. Many of those impacted are currently staying in shelters intended for people already displaced earlier in the conflict.

“People are being pushed into overcrowded areas where thousands of others are already staying. These spaces lack shelter, they lack water and they lack sewage systems, not to mention medical facilities,” he says.

Dujarric pointed to an alarming update from the World Food Program, which noted that 20% of Gaza’s population is now facing extreme hunger, and that more than 90,000 women and children are in urgent need of nutritional treatment.

He also shared that some 143,300 tons of food aid are sitting at Gaza’s border, awaiting clearance from Israel before it can be brought into the territory. While the UN insists the aid is ready for distribution, Israel has argued that the delay is caused by the UN’s inability to handle the logistics on the ground.

Dujarric added that the shortage of fuel and proper shelter remains critical, pointing out that Israel has not permitted fuel deliveries into Gaza for more than four months.

The BBC expressed regret over its decision not to cut the live broadcast of punk-rap act Bob Vylan during their Glastonbury set, after the duo’s performance included anti-Israel chants that drew harsh criticism, including from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The controversy erupted when a member of Bob Vylan led the festival crowd in shouting “Death, death to the IDF,” shortly after the chant “Free, free Palestine.” The Israel Defense Forces were directly targeted in the performance, which was aired live on Saturday, leading to immediate backlash.

Although the BBC displayed a warning during the stream, acknowledging the sensitivity of the content, it admitted on Monday that it had not gone far enough in managing the broadcast.

“The comments were ‘utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves,’” the BBC said in a formal statement.

“The team were dealing with a live situation, but with hindsight, we should have pulled the stream during the performance,” the statement continued. “We regret this did not happen.”

The broadcaster said it plans to review its internal policies regarding live programming to ensure future coverage avoids similar incidents. The Bob Vylan set was also withheld from being posted on the BBC’s on-demand platforms.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer weighed in on the incident, condemning the broadcast. “There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech,” he stated.

“I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence,” Starmer added. “The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast.”

Law enforcement also began examining the incident. Avon and Somerset Police confirmed on Saturday that officers would review available footage “to determine whether any offenses may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.”

The investigation also includes scrutiny of remarks by the Irish rap group Kneecap, one of whose members performed in a shirt bearing support for the Palestine Action Group, an organization that is reportedly on the verge of being banned under UK terrorism legislation.

Festival organizers condemned Bob Vylan’s remarks and distanced themselves from the rhetoric. “The Glastonbury Festival was ‘appalled’ by the anti-Israel chants in Bob Vylan’s set,” they said in a public statement.

“Their chants very much crossed a line, and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech, or incitement to violence,” the organizers added.

Despite some performers expressing anti-Israel views, certain festivalgoers chose to counter that narrative. Amid a sea of flags, a staple of Glastonbury tradition, several attendees raised banners calling attention to the Israeli hostages captured by Hamas during the brutal assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which marked the beginning of the current conflict in Gaza.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu issued a strong rebuke on Monday following violent acts by Jewish extremists, including the torching of a military post and a riot outside an army base in the West Bank. The statement came hours after dozens of radical settlers clashed with security forces.

“No civilized country can tolerate violent and anarchic acts such as the burning of a military installation, damage to IDF property, and assaults on security personnel by citizens of the state,” Netanyahu stated in remarks distributed by his office.

He also urged authorities to investigate thoroughly and bring charges against those responsible, referring to them as “rioters.”

Netanyahu made clear that these violent individuals are not reflective of the broader settler population. Instead, he emphasized the positive role that settlers play in Israeli society.

“The settler community is a model and an example of developing the land, meaningful service in the IDF, and contributing to the cultivation of Torah scholars. We will not allow a violent and fanatic few to tarnish an entire community,” the prime minister said.

Defense Minister Israel Katz announced plans to convene an emergency meeting to address the situation and plot a strategy to contain future outbreaks of settler violence.

“This phenomenon must be put to an immediate end. We will take all necessary measures and completely uproot this violence. No one will dare raise a hand against IDF soldiers and members of the security forces,” Katz declared.

However, opposition lawmakers leveled fierce criticism at the government, accusing it of enabling extremism by coddling radical elements within the settler population.

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid bluntly labeled the perpetrators.

“These are Jewish terrorists, a gang of criminals, who feel they have the support of the coalition. Anyone who uses force against IDF soldiers should be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law,” Lapid said in an interview with Army Radio.

National Unity leader Benny Gantz pointed to what he described as the government’s role in undermining Israel’s law enforcement institutions.

“The event we witnessed tonight, which joins a severe wave of additional events, begins with a dangerous tailwind for violence and Jewish terrorism, blowing directly from ministers in the government,” Gantz said.

He added that verbal condemnation is insufficient without concrete measures to reverse the trend.

“From the deliberate weakening of the police, and attacks on the Shin Bet and the IDF instead of on the rioters. Mealymouthed condemnations will not stop the violence — only action will,” Gantz asserted.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also weighed in, stating unequivocally that violence against the country’s security apparatus is intolerable.

“I strongly condemn the violence against the IDF and security forces. Such incidents are unacceptable and the perpetrators must be punished severely,” he said.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who had criticized IDF troops for their use of live fire against settlers just days earlier, appeared to shift tone, calling the recent actions a serious breach.

“Criminals are criminals are criminals in every place in the country,” he wrote on X.

“Violence against beloved IDF soldiers and the Israel Police and the destruction of property are forbidden and cross a red line,” Smotrich added, urging the police to apprehend those behind the attacks.

He further distanced the broader settler movement from those responsible for the incidents, saying these individuals do not reflect the values of most residents in the West Bank.

Likud lawmaker Avihai Boaron described the violent acts as “apparently illegal behavior,” but attempted to downplay their gravity by characterizing the perpetrators as disaffected youth.

He also pushed back against comparisons between the settlers and Palestinians who engage in stone-throwing attacks.

“A rock is a rock, but the throwing hand is not the same throwing hand — of course the intention is different,” Boaron said, cautioning against labeling extremist settlers as enemies.

The events unfolded overnight between Sunday and Monday, when dozens of Jewish radicals reportedly attacked a security facility and clashed with soldiers near a base in the West Bank. The attack came just days after a settler physically assaulted an IDF officer.

Some participants held signs branding an IDF commander a “traitor,” according to reports.

Military officials said that the rioters attempted to breach the perimeter of the Binyamin Regional Brigade base, hurled rocks, sprayed mace at soldiers, and punctured vehicle tires.

In a separate attack, settlers burned down a high-cost security installation near Ramallah, which the IDF said was key in preventing terror attacks and ensuring safety in the area.

The military warned that destruction of the post “poses a danger to the security of the residents.”

No arrests have yet been reported in connection with the violence. The Shin Bet has launched an investigation into the arson at the security installation.

The group responsible for rioting outside the army base had reportedly been protesting the military’s firing of warning shots at settlers who ambushed a patrol on Friday night — an incident that apparently resulted in a teenage boy being wounded.

Troops and police had been dispatched to an area near Kafr Malik after receiving intelligence that suspects were gathering there. The location had been declared a restricted military zone following an earlier attack by settlers in which three Palestinians were killed by IDF fire. Settlers had repeatedly tried to establish an unauthorized outpost on privately owned Palestinian land.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Lawmakers on the Knesset House Committee voted overwhelmingly on Monday to back the removal of MK Ayman Odeh, prompting sharp criticism from the head of the Arab-led Hadash-Ta’al faction, who accused the government of trying to silence Arab voices in Israel.

After two days of intense deliberations, the committee—including members from opposition parties Yesh Atid and National Unity—voted 14 to 2 in favor of pushing forward the impeachment. The issue now heads to the full Knesset for a vote, where 90 members would have to approve in order to formally expel Odeh.

The proceedings focused on a controversial message Odeh posted earlier this year in which he seemed to draw a parallel between Israeli captives held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners incarcerated in Israel.

Odeh caused a political firestorm on January 19 when he wrote on X that he was “happy for the release of the hostages and prisoners” as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

In his defense, Odeh later clarified that the Palestinians freed were primarily minors, and he argued that “most of the prisoners released that day were not charged with anything at all.”

Although none of those released were convicted murderers, several had been involved in failed attacks, such as 15-year-old Mahmoud Aliowat, who wounded two people in a shooting in Jerusalem’s City of David neighborhood at the age of 13.

Reacting to Odeh’s remarks, Likud MK Avichai Boaron recently launched a signature drive among fellow lawmakers to initiate the impeachment process, asserting that “whoever sticks a knife in the back of IDF soldiers and the State of Israel will not be a member of Knesset.”

Addressing supporters protesting against the move outside the Knesset, Odeh maintained that Boaron’s efforts were part of a broader campaign to marginalize Arab citizens.

“Under the cover of this war, they want to bring us backwards, to hurt freedom of expression that we over the course of many years struggled to expand,” he declared, as demonstrators brandished red flags adorned with communist symbols and multilingual signs backing Odeh.

According to Israel’s Basic Law: The Knesset, lawmakers can expel an MK who expresses backing for “an armed struggle” against the state. Once 70 MKs endorse such a motion, it is reviewed by the House Committee, and if approved, goes to the full plenum for a final vote.

Although the key point of contention was whether Odeh’s post amounts to support for terrorism, committee members brought up other examples to strengthen their argument, including his recent claim that “Gaza has won, and Gaza will win.”

“If it were up to him, he would shoot each one of us in the head. In his subconscious, he wants to eliminate all of us here,” said Likud MK Osher Shekalim during the hearing.

Otzma Yehudit MK Limor Son Har-Melech argued that removing Odeh was a matter of principle, not politics. “The proposal to impeach Odeh is not a political question but a moral one. There is no justification for a person who supports terrorists and who was happy about the release of terrorists to serve as a member of Knesset,” she stated, adding that there was “broad consensus on the issue.”

Although a previous attempt to remove MK Ofer Cassif of Hadash-Ta’al in February 2024 failed due to insufficient backing in the plenum, this time the measure had strong support from the opposition. Yesh Atid’s Simon Davidson and National Unity’s Pnina Tamano-Shata both voted in favor.

Tamano-Shata emphasized to the committee that “One of the grounds for dismissing an MK is incitement to racism, and I tell you, antisemitism is racism and anyone who shouts ‘Gaza will win’ during a war does not deserve to sit in the Knesset.”

She added that Odeh must “decide whether he is a Gazan or an Israeli.”

When asked if Yesh Atid would support the measure in the full plenum, party chairman and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid told reporters, “anyone who speaks like this should not be a member of Knesset.”

National Unity head Benny Gantz, meanwhile, voiced discomfort with the idea of legislators voting to expel one of their own, though he did condemn Odeh’s remarks. “We will hold a members’ debate beforehand and decide what we are doing,” he said.

Odeh responded to Davidson and Tamano-Shata’s support for the measure by accusing the opposition of working hand in hand with the coalition to erode democracy. “Some of them hate us more than they love democracy,” he said, adding, “They want to subdue the judicial system, silence critical voices, and turn Israel into a messianic dictatorship. Today it’s me – tomorrow it’s you. Anyone who dares to oppose will be next in line.”

MK Ofer Cassif voiced similar sentiments on social media, calling the hearing a “shameful and grotesque show trial, a political lynching [in which] Knesset members competed over who could shout louder, incite more, rant more, attack more, act more thuggishly, and slander more.”

He warned that “the decision to dismiss MK Odeh is another step in the rampage of fascism in Israel, which will also reach those opposition elements that joined the bloodthirsty coalition in supporting this persecution and impeachment.”

Cassif was ejected twice from the committee session, while Ra’am MK Waleed Taha was removed once and nearly thrown out a second time for speaking Arabic—prompting complaints that disruptions by Arab MKs were penalized, while similar behavior by coalition members was ignored.

Sagit Afik, the Knesset’s legal adviser, acknowledged that while public outrage over Odeh’s statement was understandable, that didn’t necessarily mean it met the legal criteria for removal. “A clear case must exist in which there is a significant mass of clear, unequivocal and convincing evidence showing that support for armed struggle is a dominant feature within the framework of the candidate’s aspirations,” she told the panel. “It is doubtful whether this statement meets the test of support for an armed struggle by a terrorist organization.”

Deputy Attorney General Avital Sompolinsky concurred, stating that Odeh’s message may be “outrageous,” but “does not meet the required threshold.”

Democrats party leader Yair Golan, referencing Odeh’s decision not to run for reelection, dismissed the entire effort as political posturing. “His impeachment is another victory for the nationalist-extremist government over a secure and democratic Israel. This morning it’s Ayman. This afternoon it’s the public broadcasting corporation. Tomorrow it’s the attorney general. The day after tomorrow it’s you. Wake up,” he tweeted.

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Donald Trump believes that the legal proceedings against Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu are hampering critical negotiations involving Iran and Gaza, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. She explained that the court’s requirement for Netanyahu to be physically present comes at a time when he is “in the middle of negotiating a peace deal and bringing hostages out of a war torn region.”

Despite Trump’s concerns, there has been no evidence so far that Netanyahu’s courtroom obligations have interfered with hostage negotiations. In fact, the prime minister recently convened a cabinet meeting to discuss the ongoing situation, though it concluded without any concrete decisions.

Trump, however, has made his stance clear, using his Truth Social platform twice in the past week to call for the cancellation of Netanyahu’s corruption trial.

When asked to clarify the president’s position, Leavitt said Trump “was simply emphasizing his empathy that he has for Bibi Netanyahu, seeing him go through what he’s going through with his own judicial system in the State of Israel.”

She added, “Clearly, the president knows that very well. He too was a victim of a judicial system that was trying to put him in jail, but President Trump prevailed,” praising Netanyahu for his partnership with the United States in confronting Iran.

{Matzav.com}

The International Criminal Court revealed on Monday that it had recently experienced a “sophisticated” cyber intrusion and is now working to assess the damage and protect its systems from further harm.

In a brief update, the ICC confirmed that the breach, which comes just a year after another cyberattack in 2023, has been brought under control. However, the court provided no additional information regarding who may be responsible or what the attackers’ goals might have been.

“A court-wide impact analysis is being carried out, and steps are already being taken to mitigate any effects of the incident,” the court stated, noting that efforts are underway to understand the scope and minimize any disruption caused by the breach.

According to officials, the breach occurred sometime last week.

“All necessary measures have been taken to ensure the business continuity,” court spokesman Fadi El Abdallah told The Associated Press, suggesting that the institution’s operations are continuing despite the digital assault.

Interestingly, the hack coincided with a gathering of 32 NATO leaders in The Hague, held at a convention center close to the ICC’s premises. The event featured heightened cybersecurity precautions, raising questions about whether the attack was linked to the summit.

The court has not disclosed whether any internal data or sensitive material was accessed or stolen during the breach.

Despite efforts to recover from the 2023 cyberattack, the ICC is still struggling to fully restore all systems, with internal Wi-Fi service at its headquarters still not functioning as intended.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration filed a lawsuit on Monday targeting the city of Los Angeles, along with its mayor and other top officials, over policies the federal government says obstruct immigration enforcement and unfairly single out federal agents.

The legal action lists Mayor Karen Bass, who is currently under intense scrutiny, and the entire Los Angeles City Council as defendants. The complaint argues that the city’s sanctuary stance hampers the ability of immigration officers to perform their federally mandated duties.

“Sanctuary City laws and policies are designed to deliberately impede federal immigration officers’ ability to carry out their responsibilities in those jurisdictions,” the lawsuit reads in part.

The lawsuit asserts that the ordinance and related directives in Los Angeles violate the law by deliberately treating federal immigration personnel in a discriminatory fashion.

“The Los Angeles Ordinance and other policies intentionally discriminate against the Federal Government by treating federal immigration authorities differently.”

In a strongly worded statement, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned Los Angeles.

“Sanctuary policies were the driving cause of the violence, chaos, and attacks on law enforcement that Americans recently witnessed in Los Angeles,” she said.

Bondi further criticized jurisdictions with similar policies, saying their actions endanger public safety.

“Jurisdictions like Los Angeles that flout federal law by prioritizing illegal aliens over American citizens are undermining law enforcement at every level — it ends under President Trump.”

The lawsuit comes on the heels of chaotic demonstrations earlier this month in downtown Los Angeles. Protesters targeted Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, torched vehicles, and engaged in widespread vandalism and looting of area businesses.

{Matzav.com}

The United Nations Security Council gathered on Monday to deliberate over ongoing developments in the Middle East.

Israel’s envoy to the UN, Danny Danon, took the opportunity to sharply call out the international body for its treatment of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an aid organization that bypasses Hamas and delivers assistance directly to civilians in Gaza.

“Senior UN officials are threatening organizations operating with the GHF…and promoted false allegations against the GHF about drug distribution and other violent incidents, shamelessly promoting claims made by Hamas-controlled sources,” Danon stated, accusing top UN figures of parroting propaganda from terror-linked sources and undermining legitimate aid efforts.

Danon then pointed to a recent deadly attack against GHF workers. “Three weeks ago, Hamas gunmen murdered clearly identified GHF staff as they were returning from a day of feeding Gazan civilians. The Secretary-General said noting. OCHA said nothing. UNRWA said nothing. Silence in the face of murder is not impartiality; it is abandonment.” His words underscored what he described as a glaring and deliberate indifference from major UN branches.

He also recounted the deeply disturbing murder of Yonatan Samerano, whose remains were dragged into Gaza by an employee of UNRWA. “The United Nations paid the wages of the man who stole Yonatan’s body and dragged him into Gaza. Where are the condolences from the Secretary-General? Where is even an apology from Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini?” Danon asked, pointing to UN accountability—or the lack thereof.

He described how Yonatan’s mother, Ayelet Samerano, came to the United Nations hoping for acknowledgment and justice. “Yonatan’s mother, Ayelet Samerano, came here to this very building and looked Commissioner Lazzarini in the eyes. We demanded accountability. We reminded him that a UN badge must not be a shield for terrorists. And how was she received? With polite nods, but then, with silence. She spoke, and many looked away,” Danon told the chamber, painting a picture of bureaucratic coldness in the face of grief.

Danon concluded his remarks with an emotional indictment: “Now, she has buried her son while the UN buries its head in the sand,” condemning the UN for its moral failure to respond meaningfully to the tragedy.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump issued a stern warning Sunday that New York City could risk losing access to federal funds if voters elect Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as mayor — labeling the candidate a “pure communist.”

“He’s a communist,” Trump told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures. “I think it’s very bad for New York.

“I don’t know that he’s going to get in. It’s inconceivable.

“But let’s say this: If he does get in, I’m going to be president, and he’s going to have to do the right thing or they’re not getting any money.”

Mamdani recently secured a victory in the Democratic primary, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Despite the result, sitting Democrat Mayor Eric Adams is expected to run for reelection as an independent, and Cuomo may still enter the race independently as well.

Trump clarified that his caution regarding federal funding wasn’t limited to Mamdani alone, but extended to anyone vying for City Hall.

“I can tell you this — whoever is mayor of New York is going to have to behave themselves or the federal government is going down very tough on them financially,” Trump told host Maria Bartiromo.

Earlier in the week, Trump took to Truth Social to blast what he described as a dangerous shift among Democrats toward extreme economic policies.

“It’s finally happened, the Democrats have crossed the line,” Trump wrote Wednesday afternoon on Truth Social. “Zohran Mamdani, a 100% communist lunatic, has just won the Dem Primary, and is on his way to becoming mayor.

“We’ve had radical lefties before, but this is getting a little ridiculous.

“He looks terrible, his voice is grating, he’s not very smart, he’s got AOC+3, dummies all, backing him, and even our great Palestinian Senator, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, is groveling over him.

“Yes, this is a big moment in the history of our country!”

{Matzav.com}

Finance Minister and member of the Security Cabinet Bezalel Smotrich opened the Religious Zionist Party’s weekly gathering with a dramatic declaration, describing the current period as a defining moment in Israel’s history.

“In 12 days, we eliminated the Iranian nuclear program. In a few weeks, [we eliminated] Nasrallah and Hezbollah’s 200 thousand missiles. In a week, the entire Syrian military. The region is undergoing a strategic upheaval in our favor,” Smotrich stressed.

Turning to critics of the ongoing war effort, Smotrich condemned those urging compromise with Hamas. “We are in the midst of a campaign against a crushed terror organization. It has one bargaining chip – our brothers in captivity. In the face of this bargaining chip, there are those who call for concessions, agreements, and a ceasefire.”

He issued a sharp warning about the dangers of giving in. “If we surrender now, the message to the world will be clear: the way to bring Israel to its knees is the abduction of Jews. There will not be a bigger danger. Every Jewish child will become a target. That’s how you miss a historic victory, and that’s what it looks like when you’re weak in the face of enemies who only understand strength.”

Smotrich emphasized that the operation in Gaza must end decisively, without compromise. “This is not just a military campaign, it’s conscious decisiveness. This war must end only in victory, without agreements, without mediators. Only decisiveness. The destruction of Hamas and the return of the hostages from a position of strength.”

He rejected any future prisoner swaps or negotiations with terrorist groups. “No more dialogue with murderers, no more deals with the devil, no more releasing murderous terrorists. It’s time to continue the momentum of victory over the Iranians to an intense war that will destroy the enemy in Gaza and remove the threat for decades in the future.”

Smotrich concluded with a message meant to rally the nation: “We will not surrender. Not now, not in the face of weakness. Not in the face of brutality. We will win and restore security to Gaza, the Galilee, the home front, and the entire Jewish world.”

{Matzav.com}

The Knesset Finance Committee gave the green light on Monday to Amendment No. 9 to the Customs and Exemptions Tariff Order, initiating a plan to systematically eliminate the current tax exemption on imported tobacco. The phase-out will unfold over several years, with the exemption completely canceled by June 2028.

Previously, individuals could bring tobacco, cigarettes, and e-cigarette liquids into Israel from abroad without paying import tax. That benefit will now be progressively reduced until it is entirely removed.

The Israel Tax Authority projects that this policy shift will increase revenue significantly, with an estimated NIS 50 million expected in 2027, NIS 70 million the following year, and roughly NIS 100 million annually once the new tax structure is fully in effect.

The decision follows the release of the Ministry of Health’s most recent annual report on smoking, which shows that 20% of Israeli adults smoke — a figure 30% higher than the worldwide average. The report also highlights poor cessation outcomes, with Israel’s quit rate trailing 50% behind the OECD average.

In a related study, the Ministry of Health reported that over half of adolescents who experiment with tobacco begin with e-cigarettes. Use of flavored tobacco products among youth is especially prevalent: 88% have tried flavored shisha, 82% flavored e-cigarettes, and 45% have smoked flavored cigarettes or used flavored rolling tobacco.

In the chareidi community, the numbers are troubling. A new survey showed that 54% of students in ultra-Orthodox high schools and 80% of teens in dropout programs between the ages of 12 and 17 have used some type of smoking product.

Although current law mandates that local governments enforce public smoking bans, oversight remains weak. While 82 municipalities reported enforcement actions in 2024 under the smoking prevention law, over 65% failed to submit the legally required reports, and even those that did showed uneven follow-through.

{Matzav.com Israel}

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is pressing Zohran Mamdani, the self-proclaimed socialist and presumed Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, to explain his stance on the controversial slogan “Globalize the intifada.”

Mamdani, who has been a vocal critic of Israel, sparked backlash earlier this month when he told The Bulwark that “Globalize the intifada” is a phrase that encapsulates a “desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights.”

Jeffries, one of the top Democrats in Congress, is now demanding that Mamdani clarify why he refuses to disavow a slogan many view as inciting violence against Jews.

“Globalizing the intifada, by way of example, is not an acceptable phrasing,” Jeffries (D-NY) said Sunday on ABC’s This Week. He reminded viewers that “intifada” literally means uprising.

Jeffries went on to emphasize that Mamdani owes voters a clear explanation.

“He’s going to have to clarify his position on that as he moves forward,” said the Brooklyn lawmaker.

Jeffries also pointed out that Mamdani needs to convince Jewish constituents that he is serious about tackling antisemitism in the city.

“With respect to the Jewish communities that I represent, I think our nominee is going to have to convince folks that he is prepared to aggressively address the rise in antisemitism in the city of New York, which has been an unacceptable development.”

When questioned by The Bulwark on June 17 about whether the slogan made him uncomfortable, Mamdani would not criticize it.

And during a follow-up interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Mamdani again refused to denounce the phrase — even as many have warned it carries threatening and violent implications.

“That’s not language that I use. The language that I use and the language that I will continue to use to lead this city is that which speaks clearly to my intent, which is an intent grounded in a belief in universal human rights,” Mamdani told host Kristen Welker.

“I don’t believe that the role of the mayor is to police speech in the manner.”

Welker pressed Mamdani three separate times to address the phrase directly.

If Mamdani secures the office, he will become New York City’s first Muslim and first millennial mayor. His surprise primary win, in which he edged out former Governor Andrew Cuomo, shook up the Democratic establishment.

He is widely expected to clinch the Democratic nomination officially when the results are certified next month.

Jeffries, who has yet to throw his support behind Mamdani, underscored the importance of any mayor taking antisemitism seriously.

“Any mayor, whether you’re a Democratic mayor, a Republican mayor, an independent mayor, has got to commit to the safety and well-being of all of the people of the city of New York,” Jeffries said.

“And when there are moments of crisis and a rise in anti-Jewish hate, that’s a threshold, of course, that needs to be crossed.”

Jeffries also defended his current decision to withhold an endorsement of Mamdani.

“I have not,” Jeffries said when asked if he had endorsed the candidate. “We had a conversation on Wednesday morning where I congratulated him on the campaign that he ran, a campaign that clearly was relentlessly focused on the high cost of living in New York City.”

He noted that he and Mamdani have not previously had much interaction.

“We don’t really know each other well. Our districts don’t overlap. I have never had a substantive conversation with him,” Jeffries explained. “That’s the next step in terms of this process, to be able to sit down.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who holds the distinction of being the most senior elected Jewish official in the United States, has also held off on endorsing Mamdani.

Several Democrats, including Representatives Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen, have voiced strong opposition to many of Mamdani’s far-left stances.

The Trump administration has formally charged Harvard University with breaching civil rights laws by failing to adequately address antisemitism on its campus — a move that could see the elite institution stripped of federal funding.

In a sharply worded letter, the federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism accused Harvard of either turning a blind eye to or actively participating in the harassment of Jewish members of its community following Hamas’ brutal assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.

“Failure to institute adequate changes immediately will result in the loss of all federal financial resources and continue to affect Harvard’s relationship with the federal government,” officials warned Harvard President Alan Garber in the communication sent Monday.

The allegation stems from an inquiry led by the Department of Health and Human Services, which, according to the administration, has funneled nearly $800 million to Harvard in federal funding since the 2023 fiscal year.

In addition to the letter, the HHS Office for Civil Rights delivered a comprehensive 57-page report to Garber, compiled after holding 50 “listening sessions” that included over 500 Jewish students.

That report found that nearly 60% of the Jewish students who participated said they had been subjected to “discrimination, stereotyping, or negative bias on campus due to [their] views on current events.”

Other data highlighted in the findings included that 26% of Jewish students said they feared for their physical safety, while 44% reported feeling unsafe mentally.

The survey also showed that 67% of Jewish students did not feel comfortable voicing their opinions at all, and that number increased to 73% when it came to sharing political views.

The HHS report cited a range of incidents it says amount to a “pattern of unlawful and unchecked discrimination” on the part of the university.

Alleged behaviors included direct harassment between students, organized targeting by student groups, exclusion from campus programs, and what was described as institutional tolerance of antisemitism.

Specific examples in the report included Jewish and Israeli students being spat on for wearing yarmulkes, followed around campus, and subjected to chants of “heil Hitler” while waiting for university shuttles.

According to the investigators, Harvard failed to properly address or respond to these troubling incidents.

This latest notice of violation comes on the heels of a prior letter from the same task force, which listed a set of requirements Harvard must fulfill to avoid forfeiting $256 million in federal contracts and risking an additional $8.7 billion in long-term grants.

Harvard and the Trump administration have been in conflict for months. Earlier in June, Trump signed a sweeping order blocking international students from coming to the U.S. to study at the university.

“When a university refuses to uphold its legal obligations, including its recordkeeping and reporting obligations, the consequences ripple far beyond the campus,” read the proclamation. It added that allowing foreign nationals into Harvard was no longer considered in the “national interest.”

A federal judge has since issued a temporary injunction preventing the administration from terminating Harvard’s participation in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

After the court ruling, Trump suggested that negotiations were underway and signaled that a resolution might be near.

“We have been working closely with Harvard, and it is very possible that a Deal will be announced over the next week or so. They have acted extremely appropriately during these negotiations, and appear to be committed to doing what is right,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on June 20.

Harvard responded to the government’s accusations by highlighting the actions it has taken to combat antisemitism on campus.

“Harvard has taken substantive, proactive steps to address the root causes of antisemitism in its community,” the university said in a statement.

“In responding to the government’s investigation, Harvard not only shared its comprehensive and retrospective Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Bias Report but also outlined the ways that it has strengthened policies, disciplined those who violate them, encouraged civil discourse, and promoted open, respectful dialogue,” the statement added.

“Harvard is far from indifferent on this issue and strongly disagrees with the government’s findings.”

{Matzav.com}

NYC mayoral candidate and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa on frontrunner Zohran Mamdani’s policies, his outlook on crime and the current state of the city following Democrat-led leadership.

WATCH:

Dear Matzav Inbox,

Every year, as sure as the traffic clogs Route 17, we get treated to the same tired charade: families pack up for the “summer in the country,” only for husbands to vanish back to the city by Monday morning, leaving behind wives to play single parent all week long. Then, come Thursday night, these husbands trickle back up for a quick 48-hour reunion, if that.

This bizarre ritual, so widely accepted in our frum community, is not cute. It’s not “reality.”

It’s dysfunction parading as normalcy, and it’s time someone said it out loud.

Let’s stop pretending this makes sense. We are talking about spouses living apart for two entire months. That’s eight weeks of being disconnected, out of sync, and physically absent. And for what? So that the wives can “sit in the circle” yapping away all day and take walks around the colony loop while their husbands sit in traffic, eat takeout alone, and fall asleep in their Brooklyn or Lakewood home with nobody to talk to but the fan?

We’ve normalized something that is, at its core, completely unnatural and, frankly, a bit insane.

What exactly are we teaching our children? That marriage is a part-time job? That it’s okay for Totty to be a ghost all week and magically reappear just in time to make Kiddush? That a real normal relationship in marriage is optional during the summer?

We wonder why kids are confused. Look no further than this ridiculous arrangement.

And don’t tell me, “It’s just for the summer.” That’s two months of distance, of miscommunication, of drift. Two months of wives hanging out in the bungalow colony in “make believe world.”

And don’t kid yourself—it affects marriages. Absence does not make the heart grow fonder when the only thing growing is resentment.

There is something disturbingly casual about how we’ve embraced this setup. We speak about shalom bayis from the pulpit, about building strong homes and prioritizing family, and then we collectively nod along as thousands of couples live apart for 80% of the summer.

We treat this as a luxury, as if splitting the family in half for ten weeks is a badge of middle-class honor.

It’s not. It’s unhealthy.

And let’s talk about the absurdity of the “Thursday night culture.” These men aren’t coming up for a quiet Shabbos. They’re arriving for a whirlwind of chaos: three-hour traffic, maybe a barbecue and some bug spray, then davening, and by Sunday afternoon, they’re already mentally back in Flatbush.

That’s not quality time. That’s pretending.

This is not to say that every family situation is the same, or that every working man can telecommute from a hammock in Monticello. But this isn’t about exceptions. It’s about the normalization of a lifestyle that has spiraled way out of control. We’ve created a community standard where the nuclear family lives fractured for an entire season in the name of comfort and convenience, or because “everyone is doing it.” How pathetic.

And there’s more to write about what goes on in the city when the husbands are left hanging out each night, but I’d rather not get into that.

Let’s stop whitewashing this. Let’s call it what it is: a breakdown in priorities.

Marriage is not a weekend arrangement. Parenting is not a part-time gig. Family is not something you commute to. And pretending that this summer setup is “ideal” or “the best of both worlds” is just a cover for a situation that is increasingly strained, lonely, and wrong.

It’s time to rethink what we’ve accepted as “normal.”

Because this?

This isn’t normal.

Sincerely,
Saying the Brutal Truth

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CNN host Michael Smerconish admitted on his program that President Donald Trump has experienced a notably successful stretch over the past week.

“I’m talking about offering an objective analysis in view of what’s transpired in the last two weeks that I’ve laid out substantively and with data. He’s been on a roll,” Smerconish said. “It might not be the roll that you desire, but I like the word that David [Urban] used and that Salena Zito used in her column this morning. Consequential. Who among us could deny how consequential Trump 2.0 is turning out to be? But in order for you to recognize that, you need to have an open mind about what’s transpiring.”

During the broadcast, Smerconish asked viewers to weigh in on whether they were capable of viewing Trump with an open mind. When he shared the results later in the show, a majority of 72% responded that they were not open to reconsidering their views on the president.

“I applaud those of you who are part of the 72% who say you do not have an open mind on Donald Trump, and the reason that I’m applauding you is not that I appreciate your closed-mindedness,” Smerconish said. “I appreciate your candor. Like, you don’t want to hear it.”

He added, “I made the case at the outset of the program today that he’s had a good two weeks. No B.S. He’s winning, maybe not in a way you want. There are many things that he’s doing that I disagree with. And I tell you what they are. Every day on radio and once a week here. But you got to stand back and say it’s consequential. It is consequential. So, interesting.”

Among the recent accomplishments being highlighted by the Trump administration were a successful U.S. strike against Iranian nuclear assets, a possible de-escalation deal between Israel and Iran, and a new NATO pledge to increase defense spending in response to Trump’s pressure.

The president also notched a legal victory when the Supreme Court limited the power of federal judges to issue sweeping national injunctions—an obstacle that had previously blocked multiple executive actions.

While Smerconish has not shied away from expressing his differences with Trump’s policies, he’s also cautioned that relentless criticism from the press may be contributing to Trump’s political resilience.

“It’s like a parenting lesson. The more that you tell people what they can’t do, what’s intolerable, you must not do this, you should not do this, the more they’re going to rebel,” he said during an interview in November.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}