Matzav

President Trump has issued a sweeping proclamation that temporarily blocks international students from enrolling at Harvard University, halting new visa entries for the next six months. The announcement marks a dramatic escalation in the administration’s efforts to reshape the student visa program used by elite institutions.

According to the White House, the action halts access for individuals seeking to begin studies at Harvard under visa classifications associated with student and exchange programs. Citing national security concerns, potential criminal activity, and institutional discrimination, the administration defended the move as a matter of urgent public interest.

Trump has previously accused Harvard of “treating the US with great disrespect,” and now asserts that the school no longer deserves to manage international student admissions under the current visa framework.

“When a university refuses to uphold its legal obligations, including its recordkeeping and reporting obligations, the consequences ripple far beyond the campus,” the proclamation said, noting that it is of “national interest” to deny foreign nationals access to Harvard.

“They jeopardize the integrity of the entire United States student and exchange visitor visa system, compromise national security, and embolden other institutions to similarly disregard the rule of law.”

As part of the directive, Trump has instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to review the status of the nearly 7,000 foreign nationals at Harvard who are currently studying on F-1, M-1, or J-1 visas, raising the possibility that they could be forced to leave before the 2025–2026 academic year begins.

The order singles out Harvard alone, leaving other American universities unaffected.

This executive move follows closely behind a Massachusetts judge’s ruling that temporarily blocked an earlier federal effort to stop Harvard from accepting international enrollees — a group that makes up more than 25 percent of its student population.

The underlying dispute began when the university declined a federal request to provide documentation of foreign students’ activities, including recordings of any protest involvement dating back five years.

In a parallel development, the Department of Homeland Security, under Secretary Kristi Noem, served Harvard with a notice that it would be disqualified from participating in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program — a decision that was promptly stayed by court order.

Trump has also vowed to redirect approximately $3.3 billion in federal funding currently allocated to Harvard to vocational education programs, unless the university agrees to meet a list of conditions aimed at eliminating antisemitic incidents on campus.

Among those potentially affected are prominent international students, including Cleo Carney, daughter of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Princess Elisabeth of Belgium.

In a recent interview, Matthew Miller, who previously served as the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department during President Joe Biden’s administration, accused Israeli forces of committing war crimes during their military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Speaking on a podcast with Sky News, Miller stated, “It is without a doubt true that Israel has committed war crimes.”

Despite making this accusation, Miller clarified that he does not believe the Israeli military is carrying out a campaign of genocide in Gaza.

Miller explained that war crimes can be assessed in two main ways. “There are two ways to think about the commission of war crimes,” he said. “One is if the state has pursued a policy of deliberately committing war crimes or is acting recklessly in a way that aids and abets war crimes. Is the state committing war crimes?” He continued by noting, “That, I think, is an open question [in regard to Gaza]. I think what is almost certainly not an open question is that there have been individual incidents that have been war crimes where Israeli soldiers, members of the Israeli military, have committed war crimes.”

The Israeli government has consistently rejected these kinds of accusations, maintaining that its military operations are conducted with efforts to minimize harm to civilians, despite facing an enemy embedded within civilian areas.

Nonetheless, international observers have questioned Israel’s actions, particularly pointing to the scale of civilian deaths and the strict controls on humanitarian aid entering Gaza as evidence that contradicts its claims of protecting noncombatants.

Miller added further context by discussing how democracies should be judged based on their response to misconduct within their armed forces. “In almost every major conflict, including conflicts prosecuted by democracies, you will see individual members of the military commit war crimes, and the way you judge a democracy is whether they hold those people accountable,” he said.

He added, “We have not yet seen them hold sufficient numbers of the military accountable, and I think it’s an open question whether they’re going to.”

Miller also touched on policy differences within the Biden administration regarding how to manage the Gaza conflict, including the question of halting weapons shipments to Israel. He suggested that such actions might have inadvertently encouraged Hamas to continue the fighting rather than negotiate a ceasefire. “It was clear to us in that period that there was a time when our public discussion of withholding weapons from Israel, as well as the protests on college campuses in the United States and the movement of some European countries to recognize the state of Palestine… All of those things together were leading the leadership of Hamas to conclude that they didn’t need to agree to a ceasefire, they just needed to hold out for a little bit longer, and they could get what they always wanted,” he said. “And maybe a widening of the war where Hezbollah could come in, where Iran could come in.”

He confirmed that the Biden administration did stop the delivery of large 2,000-pound bombs to Israel in the spring of 2024. The reason, Miller said, was concern that Israel might not use them in a way that was “appropriate in Gaza.” He noted that this decision was later reversed by the Trump administration.

Reflecting on the period from late May 2024 to mid-January 2025, Miller expressed regret about the lack of stronger action from the U.S. to push for a ceasefire. “The thing that I look back on… is in that intervening period between the end of May [2024] and the middle of January [2025], when thousands of Palestinians, innocent civilians, were killed… was there more that we could have done to pressure the Israeli government to agree to that ceasefire? I think at times there probably was,” Miller said.

He concluded by pointing out that blame for stalled negotiations could not rest solely with Hamas. “Israel was not the only party to this negotiation. You saw Hamas repeatedly move the goalposts, but you saw [Prime Minister Netanyahu] move the goalposts as well, and I do think there are times we should’ve been tougher on them,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

New York City experienced the fewest shootings and murders ever recorded during the first five months of 2025, according to data released by Mayor Eric Adams and the NYPD. The mayor’s office credited a comprehensive crackdown on illegal firearms for the milestone.

From January through May, the city saw 264 shootings, marking a new historic low—beating the previous record of 267 during the same months in 2018, City Hall reported. The number of homicides during this period dropped to 112, slightly under the earlier lows of 113 in both 2014 and 2017.

“This is not just a statistical win—these numbers represent thousands of New Yorkers who are alive today and safer today, families who can sleep more soundly at night, and communities that are thriving because they know their city isn’t just coming back from the throes of the pandemic—it is back,” Adams said.

The mayor credited the drop in violence to a targeted law enforcement approach and the steady commitment of the NYPD. He emphasized that since taking office in 2021, the department has confiscated more than 22,000 illegal weapons, including ghost guns.

“Here’s how your mayor and your NYPD cops delivered the safest January-May for gun violence in New York City: three-plus years of relentlessly going after guns on our streets and a data-driven policing strategy that puts more cops in the right places at the right times to do what they do better than anyone else in the world,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “We will not let up.”

Tisch outlined the department’s next phase in curbing violence, which includes deploying 1,500 officers to foot patrols across 70 designated areas under a summer crime prevention plan. Meanwhile, the mayor spotlighted newer programs like the Quality of Life Division and Community Link, aimed at delivering broad support to struggling neighborhoods.

“Equally as important, these results reflect our focus on upstream solutions and our unprecedented investments in our young New Yorkers, because we know that preventing crime starts with providing opportunity to the next generation,” Adams said. “But let’s be clear: we are not even close to done. It’s not enough for New Yorkers to be safer—they must feel safer, too.”

{Matzav.com}

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D) appears to be issuing a warning that Democrats intend to publicly reveal the identities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, including those who operate undercover. Jeffries indicated that Democrats are determined to expose these agents, stating that it would be done “no matter what it takes.”

At a recent press conference, Jeffries expressed his party’s intent to uncover the names of ICE agents who apprehend and deport illegal immigrants, many of whom have criminal convictions, by enforcing federal immigration policies.

“Every single ICE agent who is engaged in this aggressive overreach and are trying to hide their identities from the American people will be unsuccessful in doing that,” Jeffries said.
“This is America. This is not the Soviet Union. We’re not behind the iron curtain. This is not the 1930s. And every single one of them, no matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes will of course be identified.”
“That is in fact the law and we’re going to make sure that the American people have the transparency necessary to hold people accountable when they’re folks who cross the line here in America. That’s what’s going to happen.”

These remarks by Jeffries, along with other controversial statements from Democrats, come at a time when ICE officers are facing unprecedented levels of physical attacks while trying to do their jobs.

According to recent figures from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), there has been a dramatic surge in the number of assaults on ICE agents, with reports showing a 413% increase in such incidents over the past several months.

Adding to the rhetoric, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) recently described ICE as “Trump’s modern Gestapo,” invoking a disturbing comparison to Adolf Hitler’s Nazi-era secret police.

President Trump issued a new proclamation on Wednesday that bans foreign nationals from a dozen nations from coming into the United States, citing threats to national security as the reason behind the decision.

“I have determined to fully restrict and limit the entry of nationals of the following 12 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen,” the president wrote in the order.

In addition to the full bans, the administration has also chosen to implement more limited entry restrictions on citizens from seven other nations, which include Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

“These restrictions distinguish between, but apply to both, the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants,” read the proclamation.

Elon Musk has ramped up his public opposition to the budget reconciliation bill currently being debated in Congress, imploring the American public to pressure their representatives to vote it down. He labeled the legislation—central to President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda—as deeply harmful to the country.

“Call your Senator, Call your Congressman, Bankrupting America is NOT ok! KILL the BILL,” Musk posted on X, the platform he owns.

Just days after ending his temporary appointment as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Musk renewed his criticism of the legislation, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” On Tuesday, he took to X to call it a “disgusting abomination.”

“Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it,” he added.

Though the measure narrowly cleared the House of Representatives, it still faces scrutiny in the Senate. Some GOP senators share Musk’s objections, arguing the bill doesn’t go far enough to rein in government spending. Others have voiced concerns about its provisions affecting Medicaid.

“No one who actually reads the bill should be able to stomach it,” Musk wrote in another post on Wednesday.

His remarks were in response to a clip posted online of House Speaker Mike Johnson, who expressed frustration with Musk’s reversal: “Elon and I left on a great note. And then yesterday, 24 hours later, he does a 180 and he comes out and opposes the bill, and it surprised me, frankly.”

Later that same day, Musk posted again, arguing for a completely new approach: “A new spending bill should be drafted that doesn’t massively grow the deficit and increase the debt ceiling by 5 TRILLION DOLLARS.”

He also weighed in on a video shared by Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, which featured Warren Buffett endorsing the idea of barring members of Congress from reelection if the federal deficit exceeds 3% of GDP. According to Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis data, the 2023 deficit stood at roughly 6.3% of GDP.

“This is the way,” Musk wrote.

{Matzav.com}

Mediators involved in the ongoing hostage negotiations are increasingly hopeful that Hamas will soon present a revised proposal more closely aligned with the plan recently outlined by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, according to three individuals with direct knowledge of the talks who spoke to The Times of Israel on Wednesday.

Hamas had initially submitted a counteroffer to Witkoff’s plan on Shabbos, but the US envoy dismissed it as entirely unacceptable.

Since that response, Egyptian and Qatari officials—working alongside Bishara Bahbah, Witkoff’s representative in Doha and a Palestinian-American businessman and political advocate—have been engaged in efforts to persuade Hamas to roll back or remove some of the more problematic revisions it had made to the American proposal, according to one Arab official and another source involved in the mediation.

A third person familiar with the talks said Witkoff remains cautiously optimistic that progress could be achieved before the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday, which begins on Friday. He reportedly conveyed this sense of optimism during a meeting at the White House on Tuesday with relatives of hostages.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles joined Witkoff at the meeting, representing the Trump administration.

The Israeli attendees included former hostage Tal Shoham; family members of hostages Guy Gilboa Dalal and Evyatar David; and the parents of Omer Neutra, who was killed in captivity.

“Wiles, Leavitt and Witkoff expressed deep solidarity with the families and reaffirmed the Trump administration’s full commitment to securing the release of all 58 hostages. They emphasized that the administration will continue working relentlessly until every hostage is brought home,” a statement from the Hostage Family Forum said.

“We are fully committed to securing the release of all the hostages and believe their return is essential, not only on humanitarian and moral grounds but also as a critical step toward regional stability,” said a statement from Leavitt. “The [March] meeting between the president and the captivity survivors had a profound impact on him and reinforced his determination to bring every hostage home.”

Even if Hamas agrees to a more moderate version of the offer, negotiators will still have to engage in indirect talks to finalize key elements of the deal, such as defining the scope and sequence of Israel’s partial pullback from Gaza during the proposed 60-day truce.

A central sticking point in the negotiations is whether the temporary ceasefire currently being discussed gives Israel enough leeway to resume military operations later, or if the security guarantees provided by the Trump administration will convince Hamas that the truce will be upheld indefinitely.

According to the Arab official and a second source, the proposal Hamas submitted on Shabbos included several adjustments to Witkoff’s plan, one of which sought to restrict Israel’s ability to restart combat if discussions toward a permanent ceasefire don’t wrap up before the two-month pause ends.

Another change made by Hamas was to alter the timeline for releasing 10 hostages. Instead of following the US blueprint, which called for their release in two groups on days one and seven, Hamas suggested spreading the releases across the duration of the truce.

This modification was designed to deter Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu from pulling out of long-term truce negotiations once the initial hostages are freed, a tactic he employed during the prior ceasefire period that collapsed in March when Israel launched new military operations in Gaza.

Hamas also proposed reinstating the UN-operated aid delivery mechanisms that Israel shut down in March over claims that Hamas was exploiting them—an accusation denied by both the UN and other international humanitarian bodies.

In response, Israel and the US backed a new aid distribution model called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, intended to limit Hamas’s involvement. However, the initiative has drawn sharp criticism for its limited reach—only three sites have been established, with just one usually functioning each day since it began on May 26. This has forced Gazans to travel long distances, often while under threat of Israeli fire, to collect boxes of dry food that require cooking equipment to be usable.

On Sunday, Netanyahu’s office confirmed Israel’s acceptance of the Witkoff proposal, though the cabinet has not yet held a formal vote. Multiple far-right ministers have since voiced strong opposition to the plan.

According to a second insider, Hamas is upset with Witkoff over his close coordination with Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in formulating the truce plan. Hamas viewed Dermer’s contributions as contradicting earlier understandings that had already been reached.

A copy of Witkoff’s most recent proposal, verified by two individuals involved in the negotiations, outlines the release of 10 living Israeli hostages and the return of the remains of 18 deceased captives over the course of the proposed 60-day ceasefire.

{Matzav.com}

The United Nations Security Council met on Wednesday to consider a resolution that demanded an immediate halt to fighting in Gaza. The draft resolution made no mention of the hostages being held by Hamas or requiring their release as part of the ceasefire.

Fourteen of the Council’s fifteen members backed the resolution, but it was ultimately blocked by a United States veto.

Before the vote was held, Acting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Dorothy Shea explained America’s stance. “The United States has been clear we would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza,” she said.

She continued, warning that the measure could do more harm than good. “This resolution would undermine diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire that reflects the realities on the ground, and embolden Hamas.”

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, issued a firm condemnation of the proposal and expressed appreciation to Washington for intervening. “I thank the United States for demonstrating moral clarity and leadership at the UN Security Council by vetoing the one-sided resolution against Israel,” he stated.

Danon emphasized the dangerous implications of the resolution, particularly the fact that it demanded a ceasefire without tying it to the immediate release of the captives. “The resolution that was brought to a vote called for a ceasefire in Gaza without conditioning such a ceasefire on the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages — a gift to Hamas. It sends a dangerous message to Hamas terrorists: reject every proposal and the international community will reward you; hold innocent civilians hostage and the UN will grant you legitimacy,” added Danon.

He concluded with a firm assertion that Israel will not back down. “This is not diplomacy — it is surrender to terror. As long as the hostages remain in Gaza, there will be no ceasefire. Israel will continue to apply military pressure and use all necessary means until every hostage is brought home,” the Israeli Ambassador said.

{Matzav.com}

The BBC pushed back on criticism Wednesday after the White House accused it of uncritically echoing claims from Hamas regarding the deaths of Palestinians near an aid distribution site in Gaza.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run civil defense organization, at least 31 individuals were killed by Israeli gunfire on Sunday in proximity to a humanitarian aid location funded by the United States.

The IDF firmly denied any involvement in civilian casualties around the area, while both the Israeli military and the aid site’s management accused Hamas of spreading disinformation to manipulate public perception.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the matter on Tuesday, pointing a finger at the BBC’s reporting on the situation.

“The administration is aware of those reports and we are currently looking into the veracity of them because, unfortunately, unlike some in the media, we don’t take the word of Hamas with total truth,” she stated.

Leavitt specifically called out the BBC for running several stories that featured inconsistent fatality numbers.

“We like to look into it when they speak, unlike the BBC, who had multiple headlines,” she said, referencing varied reporting of the death toll.

“And then, oh, wait, they had to correct and take down their entire story, saying ‘We reviewed the footage and couldn’t find any evidence of anything,’” she added.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry also chimed in, reposting Leavitt’s comments on X with a caption suggesting the BBC “stop spreading fake news to vilify Israel.”

The BBC, however, issued a firm rebuttal to the White House’s accusations, clarifying that no article had been deleted and defending the integrity of its journalism.

“The claim the BBC took down a story after reviewing footage is completely wrong. We did not remove any story and we stand by our journalism,” the broadcaster said in a formal statement.

The BBC further explained that shifting death tolls in its headlines were a routine part of responsible news coverage, reflecting real-time updates as new data became available.

It emphasized that all figures in its coverage were properly sourced: “The death tolls were always ‘clearly attributed, from the first figure of 15 from medics, through the 31 killed from the Hamas-run health ministry to the final Red Cross statement of ‘at least 21,’” it added.

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, 179 patients were treated at its Rafah facility following the incident, with 21 of them declared dead upon arrival.

Leavitt also took aim at the Washington Post for its initial handling of the story.

The Post acknowledged it pulled one version of its report due to sourcing concerns, explaining that “because it and early versions of the article didn’t meet Post fairness standards.”

The outlet later updated its headline and content Sunday night, stating that “there was no consensus about who was responsible.”

The BBC has previously found itself in the spotlight for its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. In one instance earlier this year, the network issued an apology after a documentary titled Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone was revealed to feature a 13-year-old narrator who was the son of a high-ranking Hamas operative.

{Matzav.com}

A federal court intervened on Wednesday to block the planned deportation of Mohamed Sabry Soliman’s wife and children following his arrest in connection with Sunday’s firebomb assault targeting Jews in Boulder, Colorado, according to The Associated Press.

Judge Gordon P. Gallagher of the US District Court approved an emergency request to pause deportation procedures against Soliman’s family, who were taken into custody by immigration enforcement officials on Tuesday.

The individuals include Soliman’s spouse, his 18-year-old daughter, and four younger children. All of them are Egyptian nationals and have not been implicated in the criminal act. Soliman, 45, is currently facing both federal hate crime allegations and attempted murder charges under state law.

Law enforcement officials said Soliman had initially intended to murder roughly 20 people at a rally held on the Pearl Street pedestrian mall, but instead ended up hurling only two of the 18 Molotov cocktails he had prepared, all while shouting “Free Palestine,” as noted by police.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that Soliman’s family had been detained, saying, “We are investigating to what extent his family knew about this heinous attack, if they had knowledge of it, or if they provided support to it.”

Court filings state that Soliman insisted to investigators that his relatives had no knowledge of what he was planning and did not assist him in any way.

According to an affidavit from the FBI, Soliman allegedly confessed that his motive was “to kill all Zionist people” and that he showed no remorse for his actions. The incident took place amid a rising wave of antisemitic attacks throughout the United States.

Records show Soliman first entered the country in August 2022 on a tourist visa, which expired in February 2023. He submitted an asylum application the following month and was granted work authorization in March of that year, which has since lapsed.

He is being held on a $10 million cash-only bail and is due to appear before a state judge on Thursday.

{Matzav.com}

In a pointed message, Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik, rosh yeshiva of the Brisk Yeshiva in Yerushalayim, addressed a group of new talmidim and urged them to refrain from davening in the shtieblach of Zichron Moshe, warning that doing so often leads to bitul zman (wasted time).

The remarks came as the yeshiva celebrated the inauguration of its new building on Shavuos, as previously reported here. The upper-floor beis medrash in the new structure was fully prepared for use ahead of Yom Tov, outfitted with a aron kodesh, bimah, and a beautifully crafted amud, with seating for approximately 350 talmidim.

On Motzoei Shabbos, Erev Shavuos, Rav Avrohom Yehoshua held a special gathering for the new talmidim of the yeshiva. There, he announced the establishment of a third official minyan for Yom Tov davening, in addition to the two existing minyanim that have been held for the past several years.

The first minyan is led by Rav Avrohom Yehoshua himself. The second is led by his brother, Rav Moshe Soloveitchik. The newly announced third minyan will take place in the new beis medrash, under the leadership of Rav Avrohom Yehoshua’s eldest son, Rav Mordechai Yaakov Soloveitchik.

In his remarks, the rosh yeshiva emphasized that all new talmidim should participate in the davening held in the new building, and spoke sharply against the practice of those heading to nearby Zichron Moshe to daven. “Davening at Zichron Moshe,” he said, “often leads to bitul,” especially during late-night hours, when some boys go there in place of regular yeshiva sedorim.

He concluded by instituting a new policy: beginning immediately, all tefillos will take place in the two new batei medrash, including a daily second Shacharis minyan and a Maariv after night seder.

In a series of bombshell recordings aired for the first time Wednesday evening on Channel 13, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is heard speaking in English with Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, pleading for more time to pass the chareidi draft law. Netanyahu tells Rav Hirsch that the reason he removed Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi was because they stood in the way of the legislation.

“We need to save not just the State of Israel, but also the Torah world,” Netanyahu is heard saying in the recording. “That is what I strongly believe in. With G-d’s help, that’s what we’ll do. In order to do it, we need time to pass the law properly, so it can’t be challenged.”

The recordings were obtained and broadcast by journalist Lior Keinan, revealing Netanyahu’s direct appeal to Rav Hirsch in a private meeting held in March. Speaking candidly, Netanyahu acknowledged that internal opposition had prevented the government from advancing the law—until now.

“We had massive roadblocks which we removed,” Netanyahu said. “You know, when the Defense Minister is against you and the Chief of Staff is against you, you can’t move forward. Now we can move forward.”

LISTEN:

Gallant responded publicly to the recordings Wednesday night, saying simply, “I am proud of my position.”

Netanyahu, in the leaked conversation, also described his personal involvement in pushing the legislation forward. “I personally spoke about 20 times with Yuli Edelstein, who heads the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee,” he said. “I told him I’m taking command of this. I want you to hold more discussions—and he began doing so.”

He added, “Look, there are people who are trying to sabotage our efforts. I just came from the army—right now the army is doing exactly what we asked them to do. They’re creating frameworks, they’re building pathways for chareidim to serve in the army while maintaining a chareidi lifestyle. It’s incredible what’s being done.”

“Our goal is that those who enter as chareidim should leave as chareidim. We don’t want them coming in religious and leaving secular. And the only reason this is possible now is because we replaced the Chief of Staff and the Defense Minister who were blocking it for a long time. Now we can move ahead more professionally and more confidently.”

During the conversation, Netanyahu also pushed back against the idea of setting a rushed timeline for the law, warning that it could backfire.

“I’m saying that setting too quick a deadline will slow the process down,” he told Rav Hirsch. “I think Rosh Hashanah is a good time—enough time.”

“If you know the legislative process in the Knesset like I do,” he added, “you know they have ways to slow us down. I’m taking my time. We can’t do it at breakneck speed, because then we hand our opponents a gift on a silver platter.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

A new survey conducted by Channel 12 reveals that if national elections were held in Israel today, the coalition currently led by Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu would only secure 48 Knesset seats—well below the 60 seats needed to maintain power.

The poll shows that opposition parties, led by Naftali Bennett under the banner of his newly established political party, would garner 72 seats. Even without the backing of Arab-majority factions Chadash-Ta’al and Ra’am, Bennett’s alliance would still cross the majority threshold with 62 seats.

This survey was conducted in the wake of a dramatic announcement by the spiritual leader of Degel HaTorah, a constituent of the chareidi United Torah Judaism party, who called on party lawmakers to submit legislation to disband the Knesset over the coalition’s failure to enact draft exemptions for yeshiva students.

According to the poll results, Bennett’s party would take the lead with 24 seats, placing it ahead of Likud, which would obtain 22 seats.

The remaining seats in the 120-member Knesset would be distributed as follows: the Democrats would win 12 seats; Shas and Yisrael Beytenu would each claim 10; Yesh Atid would hold 9; Otzma Yehudit and UTJ would each receive 8; National Unity would have 7; and both Chadash-Ta’al and Ra’am would take 5 apiece.

Neither Religious Zionism nor Balad would pass the electoral threshold to enter the Knesset.

Given the rising tensions surrounding conscription laws and UTJ’s threats to collapse the coalition, Channel 12 also asked participants whether they supported the inclusion of chareidi parties in any future government.

Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said they did not want the ultra-Orthodox factions in the next coalition. Thirty-three percent expressed support for their participation, while 12 percent were undecided.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a stern ultimatum on Wednesday to California’s High-Speed Rail Authority, warning that the federal government may revoke billions in grant money after the agency spent close to $7 billion over fifteen years without constructing a single inch of track.

A comprehensive 310-page review outlined numerous missed milestones and runaway costs. Duffy gave the state agency until July 11 to justify its performance or risk losing nearly $4 billion in federal funding. “This report exposes a cold, hard truth: CHSRA has no viable path to complete this project on time or on budget,” he stated.

Voters originally approved the project in 2008, envisioning an 800-mile high-speed train system that would link Sacramento to San Diego. The price tag was set at $33 billion, with a projected completion date of 2020.

But by 2019, the project’s scope had shrunk dramatically. California Governor Gavin Newsom admitted there was no feasible way forward, as the estimated cost surged to $77.3 billion. The plan was reduced to a 171-mile corridor between Merced and Bakersfield.

In an attempt to salvage the endeavor, CHSRA later submitted an $8 billion grant request under President Joe Biden’s 2021 infrastructure initiative to fund the scaled-down Central Valley segment.

However, according to a letter sent Wednesday by Federal Railroad Administration acting administrator Drew Feeley, the rail authority missed a key September 2024 deadline to procure rail cars. He also flagged additional problems with contracting and noted as much as $1.6 billion may have been misallocated due to change orders — casting serious doubt on whether the project can be completed by the revised 2033 target.

Earlier this year, in February, an internal audit revealed a $7 billion funding gap — roughly equal to the $6.9 billion the federal government had already allocated since 2010.

That same month, Duffy initiated a formal review of the agency’s use of federal funds.

“CHSRA is on notice — If they can’t deliver on their end of the deal, it could soon be time for these funds to flow to other projects that can achieve President Trump’s vision of building great, big, beautiful things again,” Duffy declared in a public statement. “Our country deserves high-speed rail that makes us proud — not boondoggle trains to nowhere.”

Governor Newsom, speaking last month, defended the progress made by the rail authority. He noted that Texas had also scrapped its own planned high-speed rail project between Dallas and Houston.

“You can see the progress we’ve actually made,” Newsom said. “We’re now on the other side of the environmental reviews; we’re on the other side of the land acquisition.”

{Matzav.com}

President Trump held a phone call on Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing it as a serious exchange but cautioning that it was “not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace” in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Following the 75-minute discussion, Trump revealed, “We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides,” emphasizing that both countries had carried out recent strikes.

He added that Putin was adamant about retaliating for the latest Ukrainian strike, stating, “President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.”

The two leaders also turned their attention to developments in Iran. According to Trump, Putin floated the idea that Russia might help facilitate a new agreement regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

“I stated to President Putin that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and, on this, I believe that we were in agreement,” Trump wrote, stressing that both sides shared the same view on the issue.

Trump noted that Putin expressed a willingness to assist in reaching a deal with Tehran. “President Putin suggested that he will participate in the discussions with Iran and that he could, perhaps, be helpful in getting this brought to a rapid conclusion. It is my opinion that Iran has been slowwalking their decision on this very important matter, and we will need a definitive answer in a very short period of time!”

{Matzav.com}

Rav Avraham Yosef publicly criticized the growing practice of drinking coffee inside shuls during Shacharis, calling the phenomenon deeply inappropriate and widespread in many communities.

Speaking on Kol Chai Radio, Rav Yosef addressed a listener’s question regarding whether a tired individual may drink coffee during the zemiros section before Baruch She’amar. His response was unequivocal: “It’s unthinkable,” he said. “If someone wants to drink coffee, they can do so outside the shul—not inside. A shul is not a coffee shop.”

The rov expressed concern over what he called “a spreading affliction,” lamenting that the practice has taken root in too many kehillos. “This blight has spread through numerous communities,” he said, adding that those who feel the need for coffee should step outside: “Drink outside. Open a window and listen to the davening from there.”

Rav Yosef emphasized the sanctity of a shul, reminding listeners that “the place is holy. We call it a mikdash me’at. It’s forbidden to use it as a shortcut. Idle chatter is not allowed there. You may not stroll back and forth inside it.”

He was especially critical of those who engage in such behavior while wearing a tallis and tefillin. “Is it appropriate to behave like you’re in your own living room while wearing tefillin?” he asked rhetorically.

Rav Yosef clarified that there is only one legitimate reason to eat or drink in a shul: “For the sake of Torah study, to prevent bittul Torah. But not during tefillah.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

A rabbi in Normandy was assaulted on Friday afternoon, suffering multiple blows to the abdomen, according to both the victim and regional law enforcement.

Rabbi Elie Lemmel shared a statement—later circulated on social media—describing the incident. “I received a blow and was insulted in a language I didn’t understand,” he wrote.

Despite the attack, Rabbi Lemmel sought to reassure others, saying, “Thank God, everything is okay.” He also offered a message of resilience: “If we are feeling delicate when a person in our community is physically harmed, then let us strengthen ourselves spiritually.”

David Hennequet, the commander of the Deauville police department, told Ouest-France that three intoxicated individuals were responsible for the assault, which occurred around 3:30 p.m. Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the incident.

A 4-year-old Jewish boy who was born and raised in an Arab village underwent a deeply moving bris milah ceremony on Erev Shavuos following a complex rescue mission coordinated by the Or L’Achim organization.

The operation began after Or L’Achim’s emergency hotline received a desperate call from a Jewish mother requesting help to escape from the Arab village where she had been living for years, reportedly under conditions of distress and danger. A specialized rescue team, including volunteers with backgrounds in elite Israeli military units, was dispatched swiftly to extract the mother and her two young children.

Following the successful extraction, the family was relocated to a secure safe house, where an intensive rehabilitation process began, under the guidance of mental health professionals and rabbinic support staff.

The bris milah took place on Erev Shavuos, with Rav Yaakov Meir Stern serving as the sandek. The mohel was Rav Yedidya Kravitz, and the brachos were recited by Rav Yaakov Yosef Cohen.

According to Or L’Achim, this is only the beginning of the family’s journey back to Jewish life. A pidyon haben ceremony is expected to take place in the near future.

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social early Wednesday to comment on ongoing trade tensions with China, days after accusing Beijing of failing to follow through on commitments to reduce tariffs and loosen trade barriers. In his message, he described Chinese President Xi Jinping as a formidable counterpart.

“I like President Xi of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH,” Trump wrote.

Earlier this week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that a conversation between Trump and Xi was expected in the coming days as the two sides worked to resolve disagreements stemming from last month’s tariff pact signed in Geneva, along with other outstanding trade matters.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in his first formal discussion with U.S. Ambassador David Perdue on Tuesday, criticized the Trump administration’s trade actions. Wang called them “negative measures” based on “groundless reasons” that, he said, infringe on China’s rights and interests, according to CNBC.

A Chinese summary of the conversation stated that Perdue conveyed that Trump holds “great respect” for Xi.

Chinese officials also urged Washington to compromise and cooperate, asking the United States to meet China “halfway” in order to return the relationship to a more constructive path.

“This is apparently Beijing trying to leave the impression that the Trump [administration] wants to talk,” said Neo Wang, the lead China economist at Evercore ISI, speaking to CNBC. “Beijing publicly doing so indicates the phone call is drawing near.”

Wang noted that the meeting between Perdue and Wang was part of an effort to establish goodwill ahead of the potential Trump-Xi phone call, so that Xi would not be placed in an awkward position if Trump reacted harshly afterward.

In a related development, a U.S. trade court recently found that Trump had exceeded his authority with many of the tariffs imposed on China and other nations. However, within a day, a federal appeals court issued a stay, reinstating the tariffs temporarily while it considers the administration’s appeal.

China has been the focal point of Trump’s tariff actions since April 2, when he imposed duties of 145% on Chinese imports. China quickly responded with its own tariffs, levying 125% on a range of American goods.

In May, the two countries took steps to reduce tensions. Trump postponed implementation of most tariffs on other nations until July 9.

Despite that easing, Trump has moved ahead with increasing duties on steel and aluminum, raising them from 25% to 50%.

The broader impact of Trump’s tariff strategy is also drawing scrutiny in Europe, where it has become a topic of discussion at the OECD meetings in Paris this week. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development cut its global growth forecast, citing the effects of Trump’s trade policies, according to AFP.

“The United States economy will suffer the most from Trump’s moves on tariffs,” OECD Chief Economist Alvaro Pereira told AFP.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic are set to meet on the sidelines of the OECD gathering, as the European Union attempts to persuade Washington to scale back its tariff increases before the July 9 deadline.

{Matzav.com}

A 73-year-old man from California is facing federal charges after allegedly making repeated threats on social media to assassinate President Trump, including a chilling post where he said he wanted to “blow [Trump’s] brains out,” according to the Department of Justice.

Federal agents arrested Thomas Eugene Streavel on Monday following an investigation that uncovered several online threats he allegedly made. According to a DOJ statement, Streavel “knowingly and willfully threatened to kill and inflict bodily harm on Donald Trump, who then was the President-elect of the United States.”

On November 6, one day after Trump declared victory in the 2024 election, Streavel took to Facebook and wrote that Trump “is a dead man walking for the time being until a patriot like myself blows his [expletive] brains out in the very near future,” according to the DOJ’s statement.

Just under a week later, on November 12, Streavel—who resides in Yucca Valley, located in San Bernardino County—allegedly made another post: he was “willing to make America great again and blow his [expletive] brains out.”

In a subsequent post dated November 19, he escalated the threats further, writing, “Let me put a bullet right between the ears of your president-elect,” adding that this had become his “purpose for living.”

Then on November 28, Streavel reportedly made another alarming statement in which he expressed a wish for Trump’s murder: he was “praying for a successful assassination of your president elect.”

That same day, he allegedly wrote: “My life’s mission is killing the worthless LOSER [expletive] and my mission starts tonight so watch yourself trump, you are a dead [expletive] and I am your assassin,” as detailed by the DOJ.

A federal grand jury has indicted Streavel on three counts for making threats against the president-elect. If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to five years in prison for each count.

During his court appearance on Tuesday, Streavel entered a plea of not guilty. He was released on a $10,000 bond. His trial is scheduled to begin on July 28.

“The type of rhetoric and threats made by this defendant are similar to those that led to an attempt on the President’s life last year,” said United States Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli.

“There is no place for political violence or threats of violence in the United States,” he added.

{Matzav.com}