Matzav

A federal appeals court on Thursday declined to block a lower court order requiring the Trump administration to restore funding for the Gateway tunnel project linking New York and New Jersey, allowing construction support to restart as litigation continues.

The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit means the funding directive issued by a federal district judge can take effect for now, even as a lawsuit filed by the Democratic-led governments of New York and New Jersey moves forward. The appellate court indicated it will revisit the matter after hearing oral arguments scheduled for later this month.

“The Trump administration’s legal stay to avoid funding the Gateway Tunnel has expired,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) wrote on social media. “Donald Trump needs to follow the law and get the project back on track immediately.”

The dispute centers on the $16 billion Gateway initiative, which would construct two additional rail tracks beneath the Hudson River, connecting New Jersey to Penn Station in Manhattan. The Transportation Department suspended its financial support for the project last fall.

Federal officials have maintained that the pause is tied to a broader review of whether the project complies with federal requirements. President Trump reportedly told Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) last month that he would lift the funding hold if Schumer agreed to rename Penn Station and Washington Dulles International Airport in his honor.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas directed the administration to restart funding after the Gateway Development Commission instructed contractors to halt work pending the return of federal payments.

Vargas, who was appointed by President Biden, sided with New York and New Jersey, finding that the funding freeze likely violates federal regulations and describing the move as arbitrary and capricious.

Government attorneys argued that complying with the order would require the immediate release of approximately $200 million and asked the 2nd Circuit to temporarily block the ruling.

“The government will be forced to disburse those sums without any obvious mechanism for recovering them later if the government prevails on appeal,” the Justice Department cautioned in court filings.

The district judge had agreed to delay enforcement of her order until late Thursday afternoon to give the appellate court time to act. She acknowledged that the administration raised substantial questions about whether she has jurisdiction to hear the case, noting that it might belong in a specialized court that handles federal contract disputes.

As the deadline approached, the 2nd Circuit issued a short order setting oral arguments for the week of Feb. 23 but declined to pause the lower court’s directive in the interim, effectively allowing funding for the project to resume for now.

{Matzav.com}

A new Channel 14 mandate survey paints an updated picture of the political arena, showing Likud maintaining its strength, Naftali Bennett’s party losing ground, and the right-wing bloc inching up to 66 seats. In the question of suitability for prime minister, Bibi Netanyahu widens his lead.

According to the poll, the right-religious bloc would secure 66 Knesset seats if elections were held today, reflecting a slight uptick compared to previous measurements.

Likud remains stable at 35 mandates, unchanged from the prior survey. The Joint List climbs to 13 seats, positioning itself as the second-largest faction after Likud. In contrast, Bennett’s party and Shas each drop one seat compared to last week and now stand at 10 mandates apiece.

The Democrats, led by Yair Golan, gain one seat and reach 10 mandates. United Torah Judaism holds firm with 9 seats. Yisrael Beiteinu remains steady at 8 mandates, while Eisenkot’s Yashar party posts a two-seat gain to reach 8 as well.

Elsewhere in the field, Otzma Yehudit retains 7 seats. Religious Zionism adds one mandate to reach 5, and Yesh Atid also gains a seat, bringing it to 5. Blue and White once again fails to cross the electoral threshold, underscoring the party’s continued struggle to regain relevance.

When broken down by blocs, the survey shows a clear advantage for the right: 66 seats for the right-wing bloc, 41 for the left, and 13 for Arab parties. The numbers point to a comfortable edge for the right overall, even as internal shifts occur among its component parties.

In the head-to-head question of who is best suited to serve as prime minister, Netanyahu not only leads but expands his margin following his recent visit to Washington, earning 57% support. Bennett trails with 19%, followed by Gadi Eisenkot at 13%, Yair Lapid at 5%, Avigdor Lieberman at 4%, and Benny Gantz at just 2%. The findings indicate a substantial and ongoing gap at the top of the leadership rankings, in Netanyahu’s favor.

{Matzav.com}

An IDF reservist and a civilian have been formally charged after allegedly exploiting classified military intelligence to place wagers on the online prediction platform Polymarket, Israeli authorities disclosed Thursday.

According to a joint announcement by the Defense Ministry’s Director of Security, the Shin Bet, and the Israel Police, the case emerged from a coordinated investigation that resulted in the detention of several individuals, including reserve soldiers. Investigators say the suspects placed bets on Polymarket “based on classified information to which the reservists were exposed by virtue of their military roles.”

The indictments follow earlier reporting by Kan News, which revealed that security bodies were probing suspicions that members of the defense establishment had leveraged sensitive information to gamble on the site. Among the events reportedly wagered on was the timing of Israel’s initial strike against Iran during the 12-day conflict in June 2025.

Officials declined to provide specifics about the precise nature of the bets tied to the indictment.

Authorities confirmed that on Monday, prosecutors filed charges against one reservist and one civilian for “severe security offenses,” along with bribery and obstruction of justice. The prosecution has asked the court to keep the defendants in custody through the duration of the proceedings.

A sweeping gag order issued by the court continues to restrict the publication of additional information related to the affair.

In their statement, security officials warned of the broader implications of such conduct. “The defense establishment emphasizes that placing such bets, based on secret and classified information, poses a real security risk to IDF operations and to the security of the state,” the statement read. It further stressed that authorities regard “the acts attributed to the defendants with utmost severity and will act decisively to thwart and bring to justice anyone involved in the unlawful use of classified information.”

The IDF said it is treating the matter with the highest level of seriousness, while clarifying that “no operational harm was caused.”

“This constitutes a severe ethical failure and a clear crossing of a red line,” the military said in a statement, adding that the alleged actions “are not in line with IDF values and what is expected of servicemembers.”

The army also noted that it “steps have been taken and procedures will be sharpened across all IDF units, with the aim of preventing the recurrence of similar cases.”

Kan previously reported that a Polymarket user operating under the name ricosuave666 made a series of highly accurate wagers in June 2025 related to Israeli military activity in Iran. The individual reportedly staked tens of thousands of dollars and ultimately earned approximately $150,000.

Polymarket is considered one of the world’s largest prediction market platforms, enabling users to bet on future developments using cryptocurrency, credit and debit cards, or bank transfers.

In recent years, prediction markets have grown dramatically in popularity, allowing participants to gamble on the probability of an expanding range of global events. While some users have posted significant gains, many others incur steady losses. The platform has faced allegations of manipulation and insider trading.

Last month, attention also focused on a trader whose major wagers were placed just hours before US President Donald Trump announced a surprise overnight operation that resulted in the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The close timing of the bets and the trader’s limited overall activity on the site fueled online speculation about possible insider trading.

Substantial sums have likewise been placed on predictions related to a potential new American strike on Iran.

Over recent months, users have collectively won and lost tens of millions of dollars as anticipated strike dates came and went. Current odds on the platform estimate a 53 percent chance of a US airstrike on Iran by June 30, less than 1 percent if it occurs this Thursday, and 1 percent for Friday.

Additional millions of dollars have been wagered on the prospect of the removal of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Israel’s internal security agency, the Shin Bet, arrested an undocumented Palestinian resident in Bnei Brak Thursday morning on suspicion that he was planning to carry out a terror attack. The suspect was taken into custody and transferred for questioning by security forces. Three additional undocumented residents were also arrested.

At the same time, police detained five other undocumented individuals in a nearby area.

The primary suspect was handed over to the Shin Bet for interrogation, as investigators work to determine the nature and scope of the attack he allegedly intended to carry out. As of now, no further details have been released regarding the suspected target.

In a separate development, police updated the public on additional enforcement activity carried out this week in Yerushalayim. Officers from the Lev Habira police station were operating in the Ramot neighborhood after noticing several individuals who aroused suspicion. When officers approached, the suspects fled into a building under construction.

Police entered the structure and located five undocumented individuals who are suspected of having infiltrated Israel from the village of Ubeidiya. All of the suspects were arrested and taken in for questioning.

The investigation revealed that this was the second time security forces had discovered undocumented individuals at the same construction site. As a result of the findings, the employer was detained for questioning.

Following the investigation, Yerushalayim District Commander Superintendent Avshalom Peled signed an administrative order closing the construction site for 20 days. Police noted that the undocumented individuals were deported from Israeli territory upon completion of the legal proceedings in their case.

{Matzav.com}

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed an executive order Wednesday prohibiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement from initiating enforcement operations on property owned by the state, intensifying the standoff between Trenton and the Trump administration over immigration policy.

In announcing the move, Sherrill framed the order as part of her broader duty to protect residents and uphold constitutional principles. “I take seriously my responsibility to keep New Jersey residents safe, and as a Navy veteran and former federal prosecutor, my commitment to upholding the Constitution will never waver,” Sherrill said in a statement. “This executive order will prohibit ICE from using state property to launch operations.

“To strengthen public safety, we will also give New Jersey residents the tools to report ICE activity to the Attorney General’s office and ensure residents know their constitutional rights.”

She went further, accusing federal officials of overstepping legal bounds. “Today, we are making clear that the Trump administration’s lawless actions will not go unchecked in New Jersey,” added Sherrill.

“Given ICE’s willingness to flout the Constitution and violently endanger communities — detaining children, arresting citizens, and even killing several innocent civilians — I will stand up for New Jerseyans’ right to be safe.”

Alongside the executive order, Sherrill unveiled an online reporting system allowing residents to notify the state about encounters with federal immigration agents.

According to Department of Homeland Security data obtained by CBS News, nearly 400,000 immigrants were taken into custody by ICE during President Donald Trump’s first year after returning to office.

Immigration enforcement activity has continued across New Jersey in recent weeks, triggering pushback from local officials and community leaders. Officers assigned to ICE’s Newark Field Office, based at 970 Broad Street, have conducted several arrests throughout the state, including operations at transportation centers and neighborhood gathering spots. In cities such as Hoboken, local officials reported subdued activity and near-empty streets in the aftermath of enforcement actions.

State lawmakers have also responded by introducing bills designed to impose new transparency requirements and curb certain ICE practices, as stepped-up immigration enforcement has heightened anxiety among residents and public officials alike.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump spoke with reporters Thursday night about Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s trip to Washington, weighing in on Israeli domestic politics, Iran’s nuclear negotiations, and accountability for the October 7 attacks.

During the exchange, Trump sharply criticized Israeli President Isaac Herzog over his handling of a potential pardon for Netanyahu. “President Herzog should be ashamed for not granting Netanyahu a pardon. He has the power to pardon and didn’t use it. The people of Israel should shame him.”

Turning to Iran, Trump issued a stern warning to Tehran, saying its leaders face serious consequences if diplomacy fails. “must make a deal, or it will be traumatic for them. I don’t want that to happen. They should have made a deal, and they didn’t. If they don’t reach an agreement, it will be a different story.”

Discussing his conversation with Netanyahu, Trump characterized the meeting as productive but emphasized that any agreement with Iran would hinge on his own judgment. “I had a good meeting with the prime minister, and he understands, but it depends on me. If the deal is fair, it will be tough for them. It needs to be quick-within a month, I think.”

Asked whether Netanyahu had urged him to cease communications with Tehran, Trump dismissed the suggestion. “He didn’t ask me to stop. I’ll speak with them as much as I want. But if we don’t reach phase two, it will be tough for them. I don’t expect that to happen.”

When questioned about Netanyahu’s responsibility for the October 7 assault, Trump said blame extended broadly. “Everyone is responsible. It was a terrible attack. He didn’t see it coming, and no one else would have in his place. He was a great prime minister for a time of war.”

In response to Trump’s remarks about a possible pardon, the Israeli president’s office issued a statement clarifying the status of the request. “For clarity, as repeatedly emphasized, the prime minister’s request is under review according to Ministry of Justice procedures. Only after this process is complete will the president examine the request based on the law, the best interest of the state, and his conscience, without any influence from external or internal pressures.”

The statement continued by underscoring Israel’s legal framework and expressing appreciation for Trump’s support. “President Herzog appreciates President Trump’s significant contribution to Israel and its security. Israel is a sovereign state governed by law. Contrary to the impression created by President Trump’s remarks, President Herzog has not yet made any decision on this matter.”

{Matzav.com}

Large swaths of the Department of Homeland Security are set to shut down Saturday unless lawmakers strike a last-minute deal to fund the agency after Senate Democrats blocked a funding bill Thursday because it did not include new restrictions they are seeking on federal immigration agents.

Democrats demanded a long list of changes to DHS after federal immigration agents killed Alex Pretti last month in Minneapolis, including tighter rules on warrants and a ban on agents wearing face masks. President Donald Trump appears to be open to some of them, but Democrats rejected the White House’s latest proposal Thursday, raising the odds of a partial government shutdown.

“They have not addressed most of our major concerns at all,” Sen. Patty Murray (Washington), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, told reporters.

The White House sent Democrats the proposal Wednesday night, according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations. But Senate Democrats swiftly dismissed it as insufficient. Asked whether Democrats could reach an agreement with the White House, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) said “not today.”

Republicans have accused Democrats of being unreasonable. They have asked Democrats to support a short-term funding extension for DHS while negotiations continue – though Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) warned that Democrats would have to make concessions of their own.

“Democrats are never going to get their full wish list,” Thune said Thursday on the Senate floor. “That’s not the way this works.”

Democrats have said they will vote against any funding extension if they do not reach an agreement with the White House. All but one Democrat voted against advancing legislation Thursday to fund DHS through Sept. 30. The motion received 52 votes, far short of the 60 it needed to advance.

“Democrats have been very clear: We will not support an extension of the status quo,” Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York) said Thursday on the Senate floor before the vote.

The stalemate means much of DHS will shut down after the end of the day on Friday absent an unexpected breakthrough in negotiations. Many lawmakers are planning to leave Thursday to travel to the Munich Security Conference, putting further pressure on negotiations, although leadership could try to keep them in Washington if a deal appears within reach.

The House would also need to pass any last-minute deal to fund the department. Republicans have a perilously narrow majority in the chamber, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) said Thursday that the White House proposal was not enough to win House Democrats’ votes.

“Funding for ICE and the Department of Homeland Security should not move forward in the absence of dramatic changes that are bold, meaningful and transformational,” Jeffries told reporters.

A funding lapse would trigger the third full or partial federal government shutdown in barely three months. The government shuttered for 43 days in the fall amid a standoff between the two parties over expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies; that was followed by a shutdown of much of the government for several days that ended last week.

This shutdown would affect only DHS – but it would not shutter Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Protection, because Republicans sent those agencies tens of billions of dollars in additional funding last year that would allow them to continue to operate.

Instead, the brunt of a shutdown would fall on the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard and other agencies within DHS. It would affect about 13 percent of the federal civilian workforce, most of whom would be forced to work without pay, according to data from DHS and the Office of Personnel Management.

Republicans have emphasized the potential impact on agencies unrelated to the administration’s immigration efforts if DHS funding lapses.

“The pain will be felt by the men and women of TSA, who will once again work to keep our airways safe without a paycheck,” Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nevada), who chairs the Appropriations subcommittee on homeland security, said Wednesday. “There will be uncertainty for our Coast Guard men and women – who have no choice but to show up for work. … It will reduce the amount of funding in the Disaster Relief Fund – just weeks after massive winter storms affected wide swaths of the country.”

Democrats said the administration’s announcement Thursday that it would end its surge of federal immigration agents in Minnesota was not enough to earn Democrats’ support.

“The announcement that the surge is over in Minneapolis changes in no way the tactics that are used there and across the country,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) told reporters. “There needs to be a complete overhaul of this department.”

The Senate is expected to vote Thursday on taking up legislation to fund the agency through Sept. 30, but Democrats have said almost unanimously that they will oppose any bill to fund DHS without new restrictions on immigration agents.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), who broke with her party during last year’s shutdown and voted for a Republican funding bill, said Tuesday that she would not do so this time.

“We are asking our colleagues and the White House to work with us,” Cortez Masto told reporters. “It’s common sense. Work with us. Unfortunately, we are not seeing that.”

The restrictions demanded by Democrats include requiring federal immigration agents to wear identification and body cameras and barring them from operating near schools, medical facilities, churches, polling places, child care facilities and courts. They also want to ensure that states and local jurisdictions can investigate and prosecute potential crimes committed by agents and excessive use of force, among other demands.

Republicans have criticized many of the Democrats’ demands, arguing that they would needlessly hamstring agents. Thune has said he expects the White House to make its own demands, including new protections for federal immigration agents and measures cracking down on cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, sometimes known as “sanctuary cities.”

Still, Thune said he thought that negotiations between the White House and Democrats were making progress and that a deal was still possible with more time.

“There’s been clear movement there, which to me suggests that discussions ought to continue,” Thune told reporters Thursday. “And I hope the Democrats feel the same way.”

(c) 2026, The Washington Post 

A federal judge ordered the Defense Department to halt pending disciplinary proceedings against Sen. Mark Kelly, saying in a ruling Thursday that the retired Navy captain’s right to free speech was under attack by the Trump administration.

U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon barred Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from enforcing a censure against Kelly over comments that the Arizona Democrat made in a social media video reminding service members that they can refuse illegal orders. The judge also ordered a halt to disciplinary proceedings that Hegseth had ordered, which could have reduced Kelly’s rank and cut his military retirement benefits.

“This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly’s First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees,” Leon wrote in a 29-page opinion.

Hegseth said in a brief post on X that the ruling would be appealed immediately. “Sedition is sedition, ‘Captain,’” Hegseth said in a reference to Kelly, who serves on the Senate Armed Forces and Intelligence committees.

The injunction came two days after a federal grand jury in D.C. declined to indict Kelly and five other Democratic lawmakers over the social media video last year that drew President Donald Trump’s ire.

Members of the military, the lawmakers said in the video, could refuse to follow illegal orders amid the administration’s controversial uses of the armed forces to patrol Democratic-run cities and conduct strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.

Although active-duty members of the military can be punished for comments seen as insubordinate, those restrictions on speech have never been applied by the federal courts to retired service members such as Kelly, Leon said.

The judge, who was nominated to the bench by President George W. Bush, said the case had ramifications far beyond one senator – millions of retired service members’ free-speech rights could be chilled, he said.

“Rather than trying to shrink the First Amendment liberties of retired servicemembers, Secretary Hegseth and his fellow Defendants might reflect and be grateful for the wisdom and expertise that retired servicemembers have brought to public discussions and debate on military matters in our Nation over the past 250 years,” the judge wrote. “If so, they will more fully appreciate why the Founding Fathers made free speech the first Amendment in the Bill of Rights!”

In a statement responding to the ruling, Kelly said the Trump administration was using increasingly strong-armed tactics to stifle peaceful dissent, not just in Congress but across the country.

“This administration was sending a message to millions of retired veterans that they too can be censured or demoted just for speaking out. That’s why I couldn’t let it stand,” Kelly said.

He added: “They don’t like when journalists report on the consequences of their policies. They don’t like when retired veterans question them. And they don’t like when millions of everyday Americans peacefully protest. That’s why they are cracking down on our rights and trying to make examples out of anyone they can.”

In a formal censure letter last month, Hegseth said Kelly had “undermined the chain of command,” “counseled disobedience” and displayed “conduct unbecoming an officer.”

Kelly’s attorneys said the lawmakers in the video were invoking a well-established principle of military law. The Uniform Code of Military Justice says all orders from superiors are presumed lawful except in the case of “a patently illegal order, such as one that directs the commission of a crime,” they said.

They cited remarks from a speech Hegseth gave in 2016: “If you’re doing something that is just completely unlawful and ruthless, then there is a consequence for that. That’s why the military said it won’t follow unlawful orders from their commander in chief. … There’s a belief that we are above what so many things that our enemies or others would do.”

Kelly retired from the military in 2011 after 24 years of service. His career included flying fighter jets over Iraq during the Persian Gulf War and becoming an astronaut. He left the Navy several months after his wife, former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona), was shot in the head during a constituent event and survived.

At a hearing this month, a Justice Department attorney argued that Congress had made clear that military retirees could be recalled to active duty and that they remain subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. If the court granted Kelly’s injunction, it would “effectively veto” an ongoing military disciplinary process, and that “would be very troubling,” the Justice Department attorney, John Bailey, argued.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post 

A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to allow a group of Venezuelans who were hastily flown out of the country last year under the president’s wartime powers to return for court proceedings challenging their deportations.

Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg of D.C. said the Trump administration had denied due-process rights under the Constitution to 137 Venezuelan men who were deported in March under the rarely invoked Alien Enemies Act. The men were sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador, then moved to Venezuela months later as part of a prisoner swap.

For now, because of political and logistical challenges, Boasberg’s ruling does not cover deportees who remain in Venezuela and applies only to those who have moved to another country. The judge said those men must be paroled into the United States for court proceedings if they want the opportunity to challenge their removals.

Lawyers involved in the case said only a few of the plaintiffs are currently able to benefit from the ruling, because many of the 137 deportees are unreachable in Venezuela.

The ruling, which the Justice Department has vowed to appeal, was the latest judicial setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to ramp up deportations nationwide, in many cases without court hearings or advance notice.

The ruling covers deportees who show up at U.S. land ports of entry and those who take commercial flights into the country. Boasberg ordered the U.S. government to pay for the flights, granting a request from the plaintiffs’ lawyers.

“It is worth emphasizing that this situation would never have arisen had the Government simply afforded Plaintiffs their constitutional rights before initially deporting them,” Boasberg wrote.

Lee Gelernt, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney working with the Venezuelan migrants, said a handful of them had “managed to get out of Venezuela and want to pursue their rights.” Efforts to reach the others continue, he added.

“Recognizing that the nightmare these men suffered was the fault of the government’s failure to abide by the Constitution, the Court has taken the first critical step to providing them with the due process that even the government now concedes they were denied,” Gelernt said.

Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin defended the deportations.

“Nothing has changed; in addition to being in our country illegally, these aliens are foreign terrorists designated as alien enemies by the President,” McLaughlin said in a statement. “They were removed under the proper legal authorities.”

Justice Department lawyers had argued that federal judges were not legally empowered to second-guess the executive branch’s decisions on deportations and that there was no feasible way to locate or provide court hearings for the Venezuelan migrants, especially after U.S. forces deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro this year and began delicate negotiations with the country’s new leadership.

Boasberg, a former prosecutor appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama, has drawn President Donald Trump’s ire over his rulings in the Venezuelan migrants’ case. The president and some of his Republican allies have called for Boasberg’s impeachment, and the Justice Department filed a judicial misconduct complaint against him. It was later dismissed by a federal appeals court judge.

The Trump administration, in turn, has drawn rebukes from the judge for using the Alien Enemies Act to hastily deport the Venezuelan men, who were all designated members of the Tren de Aragua gang by the government and denied the opportunity to offer evidence to the contrary before being flown out of the country.

Boasberg began a contempt-of-court inquiry last year after top administration officials ignored orders he gave to return and stop the flights transporting the Venezuelans to El Salvador’s notorious Terrorism Confinement Center. The federal appeals court in D.C. has temporarily paused the contempt inquiry.

In Thursday’s ruling, Boasberg said the deported Venezuelans could challenge Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to remove them or their individual designations as Tren de Aragua members. The judge said any migrants who return for their court proceedings should be prepared to be detained and possibly re-deported at their conclusion.

The deportees also may start submitting court filings from Venezuela, and hearings for them could be held later, Boasberg ruled.

Akshaya Kumar, the crisis advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, which studied and produced a report about the detentions, said the judge’s order is an acknowledgment of the harm the group says came about from the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to carry out the deportations.

“A lot remains to be seen on how the appeals play out but what this decision represents is a recognition that these people shouldn’t have been removed without process in the first place,” Kumar said.

If the case ends up before the Supreme Court, Kumar said, she urged the justices to “make clear that the president shouldn’t be able to assert that there’s a war when there isn’t a war or that people are enemies when they are simply immigrants.”

Although migrants who remain in Venezuela were not covered by Thursday’s ruling, the judge said the Trump administration should continue exploring the “the feasibility of returning Plaintiffs still in Venezuela who wish to return for their proceedings” and ordered the government to submit a report on those efforts next month.

(c) 2026, The Washington Post 

Gallup announced Wednesday that it will discontinue its long-running presidential approval ratings, bringing to a close an 88-year practice that has long been viewed as a benchmark of public opinion on White House performance.

The polling organization confirmed to The Hill that it plans to stop releasing approval and favorability scores for specific political leaders beginning this year. In a statement, the firm explained that the move “reflects an evolution in how Gallup focuses its public research and thought leadership.”

“Our commitment is to long-term, methodologically sound research on issues and conditions that shape people’s lives,” a Gallup spokesperson told the outlet. “That work will continue through the Gallup Poll Social Series, the Gallup Quarterly Business Review, the World Poll, and our portfolio of U.S. and global research.”

For decades, the Gallup Presidential Approval Rating has been widely cited by news organizations as a key indicator of how Americans view a president’s job performance.

When asked by The Hill whether the company had received any reaction or communication from the White House or individuals within the Trump administration prior to making the decision, a spokesperson responded, “This is a strategic shift solely based on Gallup’s research goals and priorities.”

“This change is part of a broader, ongoing effort to align all of Gallup’s public work with its mission,” the spokesperson said. “We look forward to continuing to offer independent research that adheres to the highest standards of social science.”

Gallup will continue surveying Americans on a broad array of topics beyond partisan politics, including religion, the labor market, artificial intelligence, and confidence in major public institutions.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump is set to present a sweeping, multi-billion-dollar rebuilding initiative for Gaza and outline the formation of a U.N.-authorized international stabilization force at the first official gathering of his Board of Peace next week, according to two senior U.S. officials who spoke on Thursday.

The session, scheduled for Feb. 19 in Washington, D.C., is expected to draw representatives from at least 20 nations, including numerous heads of state. Trump will preside over the meeting, the officials told Reuters, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the plans.

Specific details regarding the agenda for this inaugural Board of Peace meeting focused on Gaza have not previously been disclosed.

Trump formally established the Board of Peace on Jan. 23 while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, signing the foundational documents there. The initiative was later backed by a United Nations Security Council resolution, which incorporated the board into the broader framework of Trump’s Gaza proposal.

Several regional players — among them Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar — along with prominent emerging countries such as Indonesia, have aligned themselves with the board. In contrast, major global powers and long-standing Western allies of the United States have responded more cautiously to the initiative.

During his visit to Washington on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel has joined the board. Trump’s effort has raised concerns in some quarters that the Board of Peace could extend its reach beyond Gaza and seek to address additional global conflicts, potentially overlapping with the role of the United Nations.

The U.S. officials emphasized that next week’s discussions will be devoted exclusively to Gaza. A central feature of the meeting will be Trump’s unveiling of a multi-billion-dollar reconstruction fund for the territory, financed through contributions from member states of the board. One official described the pledges as “generous” and noted that Washington had not formally solicited contributions.

“People have come to us offering,” the official said. “The president will make announcements vis a vis the money raised.”

A cornerstone of the upcoming phase of Trump’s Gaza strategy is the deployment of an International Stabilization Force. The broader plan was first introduced in September. Its initial phase led to a delicate ceasefire taking effect on Oct. 10 in the two-year conflict, during which Hamas released hostages and Israel freed Palestinian detainees.

At the meeting, Trump is expected to disclose that multiple countries are prepared to contribute several thousand personnel to the stabilization force, which is anticipated to enter Gaza in the coming months, according to the officials.

One of the most pressing challenges remains the disarmament of Hamas fighters, many of whom have resisted surrendering their weapons. Under Trump’s framework, Hamas members who agree to lay down their arms and commit to peaceful coexistence would receive amnesty. Those opting to depart Gaza would be granted safe passage to countries willing to accept them.

The Board of Peace summit will also feature comprehensive briefings on the activities of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, an entity created to assume civilian governance responsibilities in the Strip from Hamas. The committee publicly named its members and convened its inaugural meeting in January.

Additional updates are expected regarding humanitarian assistance efforts in Gaza and developments involving the territory’s police forces, the officials added.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu completed a rapid trip to the United States on Thursday, capping the visit with an extended three-hour session at the White House with President Donald Trump that centered largely on Iran and the direction of ongoing negotiations.

Speaking briefly before boarding Israel’s official aircraft, Wing of Zion, Netanyahu described the discussion in positive terms and said President Trump is convinced that Tehran understands the consequences of walking away from a potential agreement.

A primary concern raised during the talks, Netanyahu indicated, was the possibility of a narrowly structured nuclear agreement — one that would address uranium enrichment alone while leaving aside Iran’s ballistic missile program and its backing of regional proxy groups.

“We have a strong, true, and open relationship,” Netanyahu said of Trump, explaining that their meeting “dealt with several issues, but focused mainly on the negotiations with Iran.”

Netanyahu said Trump believes Iranian leaders now recognize the stakes involved. “The President believes that the Iranians have already learned who they are dealing with. I think that the conditions he is setting, together with their understanding that they made a mistake last time when they didn’t reach a deal, may lead them to agree to conditions that will enable a good deal.”

At the same time, the prime minister acknowledged his own reservations about the prospects for a final agreement. “I want to say clearly,” Netanyahu continued, “I do not hide my general doubtfulness about the possibility of reaching any deal with Iran. That being said, I made it clear that if a deal is reached, it must include the components that are important to us, the State of Israel, and in my opinion, the entire international community: not only the nuclear issue, but also the ballistic missiles, and the Iranian proxies in the region.”

Netanyahu concluded by reiterating the tone of the meeting and broadening the scope of the conversation beyond Iran. “It was an excellent conversation. Of course, we spoke about Gaza, the entire region, and other general topics. In any case, it was another conversation with a great friend of the State of Israel, I president like there never was.”

{Matzav.com}

Homan Announces End of Minnesota Immigration Surge After Thousands of Arrests

The Trump administration is winding down its large-scale immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota after two months, border czar Tom Homan said Thursday, though he noted that a limited federal presence will remain in the state for the time being.

Speaking in Minneapolis, Homan said the administration is scaling back Operation Metro Surge following what he described as strong results and improved collaboration with local authorities. At the same time, he cautioned that ongoing unrest by far-left activists could complicate a full withdrawal of federal agents.

“With the success that has been made in arresting public safety threats and other priorities since this surge operation began, as well as the unprecedented levels of coordination we have obtained from state officials and local law enforcement, I have proposed — and President Trump has concurred — that this surge operation conclude,” Homan told reporters in Minneapolis.

He said federal personnel have already begun pulling back.

“A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue into the next week,” he added, without specifying how many federal personnel would be leaving the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Homan credited the operation with thousands of arrests and the recovery of thousands of migrant children.

The border czar credited Operation Metro Surge with more than 4,000 arrests and the recovery of 3,364 unaccompanied migrant children, whom he claimed “the last administration lost and weren’t even looking for.”

He also highlighted recent arrests of individuals with serious criminal records.

“Just this week,” Homan continued, ICE nabbed an illegal immigrant who had been convicted of raping a child under the age of 14.

“ICE also arrested two criminal aliens with criminal sexual misconduct convictions, among other violent criminals,” he added.

Addressing criticism of the operation, Homan rejected claims that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents carried out enforcement actions in sensitive locations such as schools, churches, or hospitals. He said he had found no evidence to support those allegations, aside from the arrest of demonstrators — including former CNN anchor Don Lemon — who disrupted a church service in St. Paul on Jan. 18.

At the peak of the enforcement effort, more than 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol officers were deployed in Minneapolis, a move that sparked protests and unrest in parts of the city.

Last week, Homan confirmed that approximately 700 personnel had already been withdrawn, reducing the number of federal officers on the ground to around 2,000.

Before the surge began, about 150 federal immigration agents were stationed in Minneapolis, Homan said in remarks last week.

“Operation Metro Surge is ending,” Homan confirmed. “Next week, we’re going to deploy the officers here on detail back to their home stations and other areas of the country. But we’re going to continue to enforce immigration law.”

He stressed, however, that continued reductions in personnel would depend on the security situation.

“since I have been here, I’ve repeatedly emphasized that the unlawful and violent agitator activity is unacceptable and must wind down as a condition for further drawdown of law enforcement personnel.

“I cannot remove law enforcement personnel while violence poses a serious risk to our officers; I will not leave my officers in that position.”

The administration initially launched the Minnesota surge late last year following a large welfare fraud scandal that drew nationwide scrutiny, much of it centered on the Somali community in the Twin Cities.

On Jan. 26, Trump sent Homan to Minnesota after nationwide outrage erupted over the fatal shootings of anti-ICE protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Reports have indicated that Homan and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem differed on enforcement priorities, with Homan favoring a focus on illegal immigrants with criminal records rather than a broader approach targeting all undocumented individuals.

Trump has publicly supported Noem despite sharp criticism from Democrats, who have called for her resignation or dismissal.

Throughout the operation, Homan repeatedly urged local officials to allow federal authorities access to detention facilities holding migrants arrested by local law enforcement.

“As far as the jails, we got more cooperation with more jails than we had before we got here. That’s a good thing. We’re having conversations with the state,” he added. “We’re moving further on other agreements for the state.

“The cooperation we have here, it’s going to keep this city safer. It’s going to keep our agents safer.”

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration covertly moved thousands of Starlink satellite internet terminals into Iran following last month’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests, according to a report published Thursday by The Wall Street Journal.

The newspaper said the effort was designed to help regime critics maintain internet access after Iranian authorities responded to widespread demonstrations by killing thousands and sharply limiting online connectivity across the country.

U.S. officials told the Journal that this marks the first known instance in which Washington directly supplied Starlink devices inside Iran — a significant risk given that possession of the terminals is illegal there and can carry lengthy prison sentences.

The operation reflects President Donald Trump’s broader approach toward adversarial governments, combining sanctions and military deterrence with measures intended to strengthen civilians living under authoritarian systems.

According to the Journal, the State Department acquired nearly 7,000 Starlink units in recent months, most of them purchased in January, and succeeded in covertly delivering roughly 6,000 of those devices into Iran.

The funding for the purchase reportedly came after senior officials in the Trump administration reallocated money from other internet-freedom initiatives to secure the satellite equipment.

The White House declined to comment, the Journal reported.

Iranian leaders have frequently accused the United States, without presenting proof, of instigating unrest within the country.

Although American officials denied organizing last month’s protests, the Journal noted that the Starlink shipments indicate the administration has provided more tangible assistance to anti-regime elements than had previously been disclosed.

The report also pointed to an ongoing debate within the U.S. government and among digital-rights advocates over the most effective methods for bypassing state censorship.

For years, virtual private networks funded by the United States have enabled millions of Iranians to circumvent government-imposed firewalls and access outside information.

However, officials cited in the Journal said VPNs lose effectiveness during sweeping internet blackouts, making satellite-based systems like Starlink — despite the dangers involved — one of the few viable options for maintaining connectivity.

Some technology experts cautioned that Starlink use, without added safeguards, could expose users to detection, and argued that resources should not be shifted away from VPN providers.

The Journal reported that after the State Department redirected funding to support the Starlink effort, financial backing lapsed for two of the five VPN services operating in Iran.

The covert initiative comes as Trump remains engaged in sensitive negotiations with Tehran aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Iran has maintained its position that uranium enrichment will continue, while the Trump administration has insisted on eliminating any route toward a nuclear weapon.

The Journal reported that if diplomacy collapses, Trump could approve military action, with U.S. forces already deployed in the Middle East.

Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu in Washington on Wednesday to discuss the Iranian threat.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump expressed hope for a negotiated outcome but cautioned, “If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump, joined Thursday by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, announced that his administration is rescinding a 2009 determination that classified greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels as a threat to public health, a designation that has underpinned federal climate regulations for more than a decade.

Trump described the move as a historic rollback of federal rules and predicted sweeping financial relief for Americans.

Trump called the repeal “the single largest deregulatory action in American history” and said it would “save American consumers trillions of dollars.”

Speaking from the Roosevelt Room at the White House, the president sharply criticized the original policy, which was adopted during the Obama administration, arguing that it harmed the domestic auto sector and increased costs for drivers.

“We are officially terminating the so-called endangerment finding, a disastrous Obama-era policy that severely damaged the American auto industry and massively drove up prices for American consumers,” Trump said in the White House Roosevelt Room.

He added that the repeal takes effect immediately and extends beyond the original finding itself to other related emissions standards enacted over the past decade.

“Effective immediately, we are repealing the ridiculous endangerment finding and terminating all additional green emission standards imposed unnecessarily on vehicle models and engines between 2012 and 2027 and beyond.”

According to Trump, undoing the policy could reduce the price of new vehicles by thousands of dollars. He also took aim at certain automotive features that he said were mandated as a result of emissions rules.

“Under the endangerment finding, they forced the hated start-stop feature onto American consumers, which unnecessarily shuts off a car’s engine. When you stop at a red light, in other words the engine goes off. That’s great,” Trump said.

Zeldin echoed the president’s remarks, characterizing the action as a major pushback against expansive federal authority.

Zeldin said that the Republicans were scrapping the “holy grail of federal regulatory overreach.”

As President Donald Trump moves to remove large numbers of migrants — including hundreds of thousands with criminal records — national crime figures are falling rapidly, yet several major media outlets say there is no clear connection between the two trends.

On Wednesday morning, Axios posted on social media, “Crime plunges in major cities despite Trump’s crackdown rhetoric,” alongside a report questioning the cause of the decline.

“The bottom line: Experts aren’t sure why violent crime continues to fall,” the article stated.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pushed back forcefully, accusing the outlet of ignoring what she described as an obvious explanation.

“This ridiculous framing is why Americans don’t trust the media,” she said, adding:

President Trump securing the border, mobilizing federal law enforcement to arrest violent criminals, and deporting the worst of the worst illegal aliens is EXACTLY what’s driving the massive drop in crime.

Political commentator Scott Jennings also mocked the Axios framing, writing, “Funny way of saying: ‘Crime went down under Trump.’”

Axios later deleted its original social media post and replaced it with a revised version that read, “Violent crime dropped sharply across America’s biggest cities in 2025, according to new data reviewed by Axios.”

Trump administration officials have been outspoken in tying stricter immigration enforcement to improved public safety. Border chief Kristi Noem, speaking on The Bongino Show, credited the president’s policies for historic declines in violent crime.

Under the leadership of @POTUS Trump, the murder rate has plunged to a 125-year low — with especially steep drops in cities where the @dhsgov law enforcement undertook targeted immigration enforcement and crime prevention operations. Our nation has also experienced a steep decline in fentanyl deaths, which have dropped over 30 percent … We are not going back to how things used to be!

Earlier this year, on January 14, the White House released a statement titled “Mass Deportations Are Improving Americans’ Quality of Life.” The document argued that removing illegal migrants has contributed not only to lower crime rates but also to reduced housing costs and stronger wages and employment figures.

Despite those claims, several mainstream outlets have continued to question whether immigration enforcement is responsible for the drop in violent crime. At the same time, Republican candidates have highlighted enforcement data compiled under Noem to showcase arrests and deportations within their own districts.

The scope of the administration’s efforts was detailed in an internal Department of Homeland Security document leaked to CBS earlier this week. The document indicated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement made roughly 400,000 arrests of migrants — both criminal and non-criminal — during Trump’s first year back in office.

… 14% of nearly 400,000 immigrants arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in President Trump’s first year back in the White House had charges or convictions for violent criminal offenses, according to an internal Department of Homeland Security document obtained by CBS News

…

The document lists 2,100 arrests of those with homicide charges or convictions; 2,700 arrests of those with robbery offenses; and 5,400 arrests involving individuals charged with or convicted of sexual assault. Another 43,000 arrestees are listed as having assault charges or convictions. About 1,100 had kidnapping charges or convictions and 350 had arson offenses listed.

Meanwhile, the Axios report accompanying the earlier tweet appeared to minimize any clear link between deportations and declining crime figures.

“The bottom line: Experts aren’t sure why violent crime continues to fall,” wrote the Axios reporter, who has publicly advocated for expanded migration.

The article itself cited new national data:

The big picture: The report from the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) shows declines across every major violent-crime category in 2025 compared to 2024. It features data from 67 of the nation’s biggest police departments, and confirms other studies on last year’s declines.

• Cities report that homicides overall fell 19%.

• Robberies dropped about 20%.

• Aggravated assaults were down nearly 10%.

In a December 2024 article, the same reporter, Russell Contreras, had written: “Immigrants arrested for homicides accounted for less than 1% of ‘at-large’ arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement over the last six years, an Axios review found.”

Administration officials have also argued that deportations provide economic benefits beyond public safety. They contend that stricter immigration enforcement reduces certain consumer costs, including automobile expenses. During Joe Biden’s presidency, officials say, increased migration contributed to higher used-car prices and insurance premiums, driven in part by auto accidents, thefts, and parts-related crimes.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said Wednesday that he would back another round of U.S. military action against Iran, similar to Operation Midnight Hammer, if circumstances require it, declaring he would be “the one Democrat” willing to openly endorse such a move.

Speaking on Newsmax TV’s “The Record,” Fetterman made clear he supported the prior operation and would not hesitate to do so again under similar conditions.

“I absolutely was fully supportive and was cheering for that Midnight Hammer. And, now, if that’s required for a second round, I’ll be the one Democrat to absolutely say that’s entirely appropriate.”

Fetterman also expressed skepticism about Iran’s reliability in past diplomatic agreements, arguing that prior efforts failed to curb its nuclear ambitions. He pointed to enrichment levels reached under an earlier deal as a reason for concern.

“I don’t believe — you can’t really trust. The last time there was a treaty with Iran, they ended up with 900 pounds of just a step below…nuclear weapon-grade enrichment. So, that’s why — we demonstrated last year that we can hit them, we know where they are, and we have the capabilities to reach them. And now here we are again, and that’s why the prime minister’s here, because I think we’re all in lockstep to stand with Israel as our special ally, and that’s why I’m proud to stand with the prime minister and now with the president, too.”

The Pennsylvania senator further indicated that he would oppose any renewed effort in Congress to limit presidential war powers related to Iran, as he had previously.

“If they do bring up another Iranian war powers bill, I will vote no just like I did the first time they brought that up.”

{Matzav.com}

The individual believed to have abducted Nancy Guthrie made a string of clumsy mistakes that defy logic, according to a retired senior FBI official, who said the suspect’s actions suggest he was unlikely to be “a trained assassin.”

James Gagliano, a former supervisory special agent with the FBI, pointed to surveillance footage showing the suspect outside the Tucson home of Savannah Guthrie’s mother. He said the way the man handled and carried his holstered firearm stood out immediately — and not in a way that reflected experience.

“It does not look like a trained assassin or somebody who’s been doing this a long time,” he told “Fox & Friends” early Thursday.

Gagliano emphasized that the manner in which the weapon was positioned appeared unusual and inconsistent with professional training.

“I look at the gun, I’ve never ever seen somebody carry a weapon that way. I carried a weapon in the service of my country for 33 years. I have never seen somebody carry it that way,” the ex-FBI official continued.

Based on what he observed, Gagliano said the suspect’s equipment setup appeared poorly planned.

“This looks like it was thrown together either last minute or the person got a holster from one person and the weapon from somebody else.”

He also questioned why the suspect approached the front entrance of the residence, where he was captured on the homeowner’s doorbell camera, rather than using a less visible access point.

“There are multiple points of entry that you could get into very easily,” he said of the “Today” show host’s mom’s home in Tucson.

Gagliano described a rear entrance that, in his view, would have been far simpler to exploit without attracting attention.

“In the back of the house, there is a door that’s got like nine panel window panes in it, and you could have easily broken one panel, reached in your hand, unlocked the door and gone in with nobody noticing.

“So why did this suspect [go] to the front?” he asked.

“It really boggles the mind.”

Another potential break in the case emerged Wednesday, when The NY Post photographed authorities recovering a black glove in the desert area near Guthrie’s quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of Tucson. Gagliano said that item could prove decisive if it links back to the suspect.

“If the gloves come back to this person, if there’s DNA on it and they ultimately be the item that undoes him … who commits a crime, a violent crime, abducts somebody and then drops off clues 1.3 miles from the house?” he said.

He noted that the glove appears similar to the pair worn by the armed figure seen in video footage, and suggested it could provide critical forensic evidence as investigators race to locate the missing woman, who requires medication to survive.

“And why is that? Well, the DNA aspect. So you can pull off the trace fingerprints, hair, and fiber, any type of body fluids on it,” he said.

On Wednesday afternoon, The NY Post observed at least one member of the FBI’s Evidence Response team retrieving the glove from brush in the desert landscape near the Guthrie home.

Authorities declined to provide details when questioned about the possible evidentiary significance of the recovered item.

{Matzav.com}

NYC Mayor Zohran Mandani sparked controversy after quoting religious texts to defend sanctuary policies. The PBD panel debated his policies on immigration and crime in New York City. From rising crime stats to trash-filled streets and policing clashes, the discussion turns fiery and unapologetic.

WATCH:

The wife of Reb Avraham Ben Dayan, the young avreich who was arrested eight months after his wedding, returned from a prison visit deeply shaken and is leveling serious accusations against military authorities. Speaking to Kikar HaShabbat, she said that her husband has faced mistreatment during his detention, including restrictions on religious observance and inadequate access to kosher food.

Reb Ben Dayan, a graduate of Yeshivas Maor HaTalmud who married approximately eight months ago, was arrested on Motzaei Shabbos and remains incarcerated in Military Prison 10. His family accuses the military of severe harassment and says he has been sentenced to ten days in detention beginning last Motzoei Shabbos.

As previously reported, Ben Dayan had spent Shabbos in Ofakim and was stopped by a traffic officer in the community of Tifrach on suspicion of a traffic violation. During the stop, the officer discovered that he had been classified as a draft “deserter” due to his failure to report to the enlistment office. He was transferred to a local police station and subsequently handed over to military police authorities.

In a phone call with family members shortly before sunset on the day of his arrest, Ben Dayan reportedly said that he had requested several times to put on tefillin but that his requests were denied. His family expressed shock at what they described as the denial of a basic religious mitzvah in the State of Israel and voiced serious concerns about kashrus standards and his ability to maintain a religious lifestyle while in custody.

According to the family, contact with Ben Dayan ceased about twenty minutes before sunset, leaving uncertainty as to whether he was ultimately able to put on tefillin in those final moments.

Responding to the military’s clarification regarding the tefillin incident, Ben Dayan’s wife said, “The IDF spokesperson is lying and trying to claim that the detainee did not request to put on tefillin until two in the morning. It is important for us to say that this is false and untrue, and they did not allow him to put on tefillin until the very last moment.”

She also alleged deficiencies in the food provided to him. “Until yesterday, they did not bring him mehadrin kosher food as is customary. Only yesterday, for the first time, did he eat normal and kosher food. Until now, he mainly lived on fruits and vegetables. This abuse is incomprehensible.”

According to her, he has also been restricted from studying Torah. “He does not have the ability to go and learn in the shul. Avraham, who is a precious avreich, wanted to use the time to sit and learn, but the military authorities, in inexplicable cruelty, are not allowing it. They do not allow him to go to the shul except during davening times.”

She further claimed that authorities are seeking to humiliate him. “They want to degrade him. When they transferred him from the Bahadim base to Prison 10 to meet with me, they decided to shackle him in both hands and feet. It is unclear what they wanted from him and why they needed to humiliate him to that extent. Why are they not placing him with other chareidim? He has no chareidi environment at all. It is absurd that the prison rabbi came to ask him questions from Chumash to determine whether he is chareidi or not.”

Regarding his communication rights, she added, “On the advice of his commander — they did not even assign him a proper commander — he signed a prisoner’s rights form, and they were obligated to give him a phone call on Motzaei Shabbos. From Motzaei Shabbos at eight o’clock until the next day, he was not given the right to speak with his wife. The chaos and search efforts happened only because they did not grant him the legal right to call me.”

In response to the tefillin claims, the IDF spokesperson said, “The detainee was arrested on Motzaei Shabbos by the Israel Police and transferred to the Military Police. He remained in custody overnight until late morning. During his detention, he prayed, and upon arriving in the afternoon at the military prison, he requested to put on tefillin and was told he would be given the opportunity upon arrival at his detention unit. However, due to an unexpected delay in his processing and according to a report received afterward, he ultimately did not manage to put on tefillin.”

The statement continued: “It should be clarified that this is an extremely unusual case that does not align with IDF procedures. The IDF regrets the distress caused. Procedures at the prison have been sharpened for immediate implementation, and the matter will be thoroughly investigated by commanders to prevent similar cases in the future. The detainee is currently being held in a facility that contains all the necessary equipment in accordance with his lifestyle.”

Approximately two hours after publication of the initial report, the IDF spokesperson issued an additional statement: “Contrary to what has been claimed, the detainee is receiving the conditions and rights to which he is entitled, including davening times in a shul, mehadrin kosher food, and phone calls. During the intake interview, the detainee was informed that he is entitled to receive mehadrin kosher food if he requests it, but he did not request it. In the military prison, there is no gap between meat and vegetarian meals in Badatz-level kashrus.”

The statement added, “The detainee is in direct contact with the prison rabbi. The IDF detention system continuously makes adjustments in accordance with detention conditions and the number of detainees and ensures the provision of mehadrin kosher food to allow detainees to maintain their religious lifestyle.”

A military source further stated, “The detainee claims that he did not understand from whom he needed to request Badatz-level kosher food, despite being instructed by his commanders how to do so. In addition, he exercised his right to a phone call on Motzaei Shabbos and is being held in a unit designated for detainees with charges similar to those attributed to him. Every detainee has the option to request gender-specific supervision in the military prison, as was explained to him during the intake process. The detainee was shackled during transfers between detention facilities in accordance with standard procedures.”

As previously reported, Ben Dayan has received strong backing from leading gedolim, including Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch and Rav Dov Landau.

Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch personally called to be mechazeik and encourage Ben Dayan’s wife after he was handed over to military police months after his wedding. During the call, the rosh yeshiva said, “With Hashem’s help, they will do the maximum that can be done. In a few days he will be released, with Hashem’s help,” assuring her, “No more than ten days.”

Rav Dov Landau also sent a handwritten letter of support. Immediately after writing the letter, Rav Landau requested that it be delivered to the avreich without delay, and his attorney conveyed it to him shortly thereafter.

In the letter, Rav Landau wrote, “To the dear avreich, Rabbi Avraham Ben Dayan, may he live long and well, the distressing news about the shocking injustice done to you — that you were imprisoned ‘for the sin’ of Torah study — has caused me great anguish.”

He continued, “I hereby strengthen you and your family. They did not intend this action against you personally, but against all the sons of Torah, whose learning is a thorn in their eyes. It pains them to see the blessed growth of the Torah world, and you have merited to be a representative of Torah learners in order for them to strike at them through their schemes.”

He concluded, “We hope to Hashem that you will merit to be released swiftly and return to your studies, sanctify Heaven in all your ways and conduct, and sit once again in the tent of Torah as before. Seeking your peace and the peace of your Torah, Dov Landau.”

{Matzav.com}