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Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu made it unmistakably clear in a new interview that Israel will not consent to the creation of a Palestinian state under any circumstances. Speaking to the Abu Ali Express Telegram channel, he stated flatly, “There will not be a Palestinian state. It’s very simple: it will not be established.” He stressed that the position is not negotiable and is not tied to any diplomatic incentives.

Pressed on whether this stance applies even if it costs Israel a long-sought normalization deal with Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu did not hesitate. “The answer is: a Palestinian state will not be established. It is an existential threat to Israel,” he said, underscoring that no geopolitical benefit would justify what he views as a mortal danger to the country’s future.

Netanyahu acknowledged that the ongoing war in Gaza had frozen movement toward a Saudi-Israeli agreement, but he insisted that momentum could still return as fighting tapers off. “But the conditions must be acceptable to both sides – terms that are good for both sides,” he said. He explained that he has no intention of yielding on Israel’s “essential conditions” and that any future progress must safeguard national security. “And if this process ripens later on, excellent. And if not, we will safeguard our vital interests.”

The Prime Minister also discussed the Rafah crossing, linking its reopening directly to Hamas returning the remains of three Israelis who were killed and abducted: Dror Or, Ran Gvili, and Sudthisak Rinthalak. “We agreed that we will open the crossing after we receive all our hostages. We are very close to completing this process – it’s set to happen – and once that is completed, we will open the crossing,” he said.

Netanyahu went on to say he would support Egypt allowing Gazans who wish to emigrate to do so. “Any Gazan who wants to leave should be able to, and that right has been denied to them. Washington’s 20-point plan for Gaza included that right… If Egypt accepts that – I think that’s very positive.”

Turning to Ankara, Netanyahu described Israel’s relationship with Turkey as complicated but manageable. While hoping for stability between the countries, he did not minimize the concerns posed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s alignment with Hamas and his accusations of Israeli genocide. “I hope that threat doesn’t materialize, but we can’t rule it out,” he said.

Netanyahu explained that Israel has already acted to halt Turkish expansion into areas of Syria. “We prefer a modus vivendi with Turkey,” he said. “They’re very stubborn and speak in an extreme way, and we push back on it. But in practice, we prevented their entry into southern Syria… We also didn’t want them entering central Syria at the T-4 base – and we even struck that airfield.”

Despite the charged rhetoric, the Prime Minister said Israel continues maintaining quiet channels with Turkey in an effort to prevent unnecessary escalation. Yet he stressed that Israeli defense planning is already calibrated to Turkey’s military potential. “We do not intend to relinquish our military superiority,” he said. “We’re not seeking enemies, but we won’t let any country in the region threaten us.”

{Matzav.com}

New York City’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, spent Thursday attempting to strike a careful balance as questions mounted over his reaction to a raucous anti-Israel protest outside Manhattan’s Park East Synagogue the previous night — a demonstration where participants chanted “Death to the IDF” and “Globalize the intifada” as an immigration-to-Israel event was taking place inside.

In comments released through his spokesperson, Dora Pekec, Mamdani created distance between himself and the protesters’ rhetoric while simultaneously criticizing the synagogue event itself. “The mayor-elect has discouraged the language used at last night’s protest and will continue to do so,” Pekec said in a statement to Jewish Insider. “He believes every New Yorker should be free to enter a house of worship without intimidation, and that these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law.”

The protest had been organized by an anti-Zionist organization targeting a gathering hosted by Nefesh B’Nefesh, the group known for helping Jews relocate to Israel. The synagogue, a landmark Modern Orthodox institution on the Upper East Side, became the backdrop for shouting, drumming, and inflammatory chants that swiftly drew condemnation across the political spectrum.

When pressed about the statement’s claim that the synagogue program violated international law, Mamdani’s office clarified that the criticism referred specifically to “the organization’s promotion of settlement activity beyond the Green Line,” which they argued “violates international law.”

Mamdani’s election has left many Jewish New Yorkers uneasy, particularly amid a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents citywide. Though he has publicly pushed for more city funding to counter hate crimes and pledged stronger police presence at Jewish sites, skeptics questioned his willingness to confront anti-Israel radicals during moments of escalation.

The mayor-elect has said he does not support the phrase “globalize the intifada,” a slogan viewed by many Jews as an incitement to violence. Yet he has typically avoided condemning it outright, a hesitation that has fueled concerns about how he will approach such rhetoric once in office.

Thursday’s statement marked the first time Mamdani’s team responded to unrest connected to an anti-Israel demonstration. Before launching his campaign last year, Mamdani attended numerous protests of that nature, which further contributed to nervousness within the Jewish community. The day after winning the election, he did, however, denounce swastika graffiti found at a Jewish day school.

Outgoing Mayor Eric Adams, currently overseas on a multi-nation trip that included a visit to Israel, reacted harshly to Wednesday’s protest. In a social media post, he blasted what occurred outside Park East, calling the chants “vile” and the participants “sick and warped.” He promised, “stopping at Park East to show” his “support” once back in the city.

“Pray for our city,” Adams added. “Today it’s a synagogue. Tomorrow it’s a church or a mosque. They come for me today and you tomorrow. We cannot hand this city over to radicals.”

Governor Kathy Hochul, who endorsed Mamdani during the mayoral race, also weighed in. She wrote, “No New Yorker should be intimidated or harassed at their house of worship. What happened last night at Park East Synagogue was shameful and a blatant attack on the Jewish community. Hate has no place in New York.”

{Matzav.com}

A wide-ranging American framework outlining how the war between Russia and Ukraine could be halted was quietly circulated in Washington, describing everything from new borders to economic incentives, and even a future Peace Council overseen by President Donald Trump, senior U.S. officials told The Post.

The document represented the most elaborate version yet of what the U.S. envisioned as a potential off-ramp, crafted after weeks of conversations held by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff with senior Russian and Ukrainian figures.

Officials said they had recently spoken with Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, during meetings in Miami. According to them, he responded encouragingly to significant portions of the proposal, though no one claimed it was a formal Ukrainian endorsement.

“The plan was drawn up immediately following discussions with one of the most senior members of Zelensky’s administration, Umerov,” one official explained. “So Umerov agreed to the majority of this plan, and he made several modifications to it, which we included and presented it to President Zelensky.”

They emphasized that these conversations did not amount to full alignment from Kyiv. “I don’t want to say that [Kyiv] full-heartedly … agreed to it and they’re ready to sign off. They agreed to the majority of the plan,” the official said.

President Zelensky acknowledged the broad American outline when he commented publicly on Thursday. “We agreed that our teams will work on the points to ensure it’s all genuine,” Zelensky said. “We’re geared up for clear and honest work—Ukraine, the U.S., our European and global partners.”

The proposal made clear that Ukraine would remain an independent state, but it also embedded extensive concessions that would permanently reshape the battlefield map.

Under the blueprint, Washington would recognize the entire Donbas region as belonging to Russia, including sectors that Moscow had failed to conquer even after more than a decade of fighting. Areas of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia would remain locked in place along current front lines, effectively turning active trenches into acknowledged borders.

Ukrainian forces would withdraw from the remaining pockets they held in Donetsk, leaving behind a neutral demilitarized zone barred to Russian entry.

In return, the U.S. would assemble a detailed system of security assurances intended to discourage any renewed Russian invasion. Those protections, however, depended on Ukraine refraining from attacks deep inside Russia; they would dissolve if Ukraine launched missiles at Moscow or St. Petersburg “without cause” or struck Russian territory.

Ukraine would also be required to restrict its military to 600,000 troops and formally commit to permanent neutrality by pledging never to join NATO, embedding that promise into its national charter. NATO countries, for their part, would agree not to station forces inside Ukraine, though allied aircraft would operate from Poland.

Beyond military matters, the plan called for the U.S. to open a structured Russia-NATO dialogue, fund major rebuilding operations across Ukraine, and gradually welcome Moscow back into global economic life. Provisions even envisioned Russia’s return to the G8 and long-term cooperation with the U.S. in sectors like energy, rare-earth extraction, data centers, and artificial intelligence.

Frozen Russian assets also featured heavily. The proposal directed that $100 billion in seized Russian funds be invested into U.S.-led reconstruction projects in Ukraine, with the U.S. receiving half of all profits. Europe would contribute an additional $100 billion of its own, while the rest of Russia’s frozen assets would be released for joint American-Russian ventures focused on “strengthening relations.”

Ukraine, meanwhile, would gain accelerated access to European markets as Brussels evaluated its membership aspirations.

Humanitarian issues were incorporated as well. The plan required a sweeping “all-for-all” exchange of captives and detainees — a category that included the transfer of kidnapped Ukrainian children — paired with family reunifications and long-term support for victims.

One of the most contentious elements involved wiping away all wartime legal claims through a universal amnesty. According to one U.S. official, Kyiv had requested that plank. The official noted that an earlier version had said, “Ukraine will conduct a full audit of all aid received and create a legal mechanism to recover any errors found and punish those who illegally profiteered from the war,” but Kyiv later pushed for broader immunity.

Ukraine would also have to hold national elections within 100 days of the agreement’s activation, restoring a process that had been suspended under wartime martial-law rules.

Oversight of the entire arrangement would fall to a new peace council chaired by Trump, who would be tasked with ensuring compliance, enforcing sanctions for violations, and verifying that both militaries withdrew to the agreed positions before a ceasefire formally began.

As part of the settlement, Russia would adopt legally binding promises of non-aggression toward Ukraine and Europe and reaffirm its nuclear non-proliferation commitments. Ukraine would restate its non-nuclear status. Europe’s largest nuclear facility — the Zaporizhzhia plant — would restart under IAEA supervision, with Russia and Ukraine sharing its output equally.

The blueprint also called for government-sponsored programs promoting cultural tolerance, minority protections, media freedoms, and bans on Nazi ideology in an attempt to lessen ethnic conflict. According to the authors, once all parties endorsed the agreement, the ceasefire would take hold immediately.

Neither Kyiv nor Moscow publicly embraced the proposal, but within the U.S. government it was seen as the most expansive attempt yet to chart a political end to a conflict that had redrawn borders and created Europe’s largest land war since World War II.

On Wednesday evening, Secretary of State Marco Rubio seemed to tamp down speculation that the U.S. had formally decided to advance such a plan. He wrote that “Ending a complex and deadly war such as the one in Ukraine requires an extensive exchange of serious and realistic ideas. And achieving a durable peace will require both sides to agree to difficult but necessary concessions,” adding, “That is why we are and will continue to develop a list of potential ideas for ending this war based on input from both sides of this conflict.”

His comments followed an Axios report claiming that an agreement had already been reached. That story relied on Kirill Dmitriev, a close Putin associate, who asserted he had helped develop the framework alongside Witkoff.

U.S. officials said they believed Dmitriev deliberately leaked details to position Russia as the driving force behind the plan. “Their POV out there first [because] it seemed like they were winning,” one of them said. “This is just a tit for tat. Always has been.”

Witkoff appeared to draw the same conclusion when he responded to the Axios article on X in a post he quickly deleted. “He must have got this from K,” he wrote about the reporter, Barak Ravid — seemingly intending to send the message privately, identifying Dmitriev only by his initial.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump welcomed a group of Israelis who had endured captivity, bringing them to the White House on Thursday for a private gathering that was both emotional and deeply symbolic.

Throughout the meeting, Trump emphasized their transformation from victims to national role models. “You’re not a hostage anymore, today you’re heroes,” he told them, praising the strength they displayed under unimaginable conditions. He added that their resolve “united all Israelis” and inspired countless supporters internationally.

The president highlighted the ordeal of Matan Angrest, whose story was raised as an example of grit and unbroken morale. Trump described what Angrest had suffered: “Because of service in the IDF, Matan was subjected to severe beatings, even at times losing consciousness. And alone and under a special guard, he went through hell. I guess you really were. I’ve heard stories that were not good. Look at you, how good you look. It just made you tougher, right? It did, made you tougher. But Matan never broke, and today he’s a living testimony to the toughness, heart, and faith of the Jewish people. Great knowing you, you’re great inspiration to everybody, whether you’re Jewish or not.”

With that message of resilience, Trump concluded the gathering by personally presenting each freed hostage with a presidential challenge coin — a gesture often reserved for those who have displayed exceptional courage or service.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu intensified his messaging Thursday night regarding the emerging draft-law proposal, using a new interview to sharpen his appeal to the chareidi public and to launch a fierce critique at the opposition.

Speaking to the Telegram channel “Abu Ali Express,” Netanyahu described the legislation as a historic breakthrough that would fundamentally reshape the integration of chareidim into military service.

“I hope to be the first prime minister in the history of Israel who actually passes a draft law,” Netanyahu said. “This law will bring 17,000 chareidim into the Israel Defense Forces within three years.”

He accused the opposition of working to sabotage the effort. “They defame the law, they’re trying to stop it. What have they done? They haven’t done anything. Seventeen thousand people — that’s a division and more.”

Netanyahu also directed part of his message inward, toward the chareidi community and its rabbinic leadership. “I expect the chareidi public to join this. I want the rabbanim to allow supporting it. This will be a major test.”

He dismissed claims circulating in some circles that the proposal is intended to preserve exemptions or prevent chareidim from serving.

“This is not a law to block service. This is a law that will bring thousands into the army in a very short time. How can anyone oppose that?”

{Matzav.com}

The Movement for Quality Government has called on Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to open disciplinary proceedings against Chaya Mashan, the senior official overseeing post-primary chareidi girls’ education in the Yerushalayim municipality, following the exposure of documents containing racist and degrading classifications of students.

In a letter sent today to the attorney general, the organization demanded an immediate investigation into Mashan’s reinstatement as coordinator of upper-secondary education for Yerushalayim’s Education Department, a role that includes responsibility for placement in the city’s chareidi seminaries.

“The subject of this request is the recent publication announcing the return of Ms. Chaya Mashan to her position as coordinator of upper-secondary education in the Yerushalayim municipality,” the group wrote.

The watchdog noted that in July 2024, Haaretz revealed Excel documents from the municipality that included detailed—and unauthorized—notations about students: parents’ marital status, the girl’s physical appearance, disabilities, health conditions of both the student and her family, and even the family’s connections to influential figures within the chareidi community.

Last Thursday, journalist Yoeli Brim exposed additional documents stored on municipal servers that used racial and humiliating labels such as: “kushim,” “large and fat,” “short mother and father,” “heavy Sephardi,” and “complex home, baalei teshuva, unmarried sisters.”

The municipality issued a response at the time, saying: “A clarifying conversation was held with the employee by the head of the department. During the meeting, procedures were reviewed in depth, and the employee was made aware of her mistake. Significant changes were also made in the department’s workflow. The spreadsheet in question, which was prepared in the past, was created privately and without the knowledge of her supervisors.”

In its letter, the Movement for Quality Government stressed that “given the severity of the findings and the sensitive position held by Ms. Chaya Mashan—who is responsible for the placement of thousands of girls into post-primary institutions—there is a heightened obligation to immediately open disciplinary proceedings under the Civil Service Disciplinary Law and fully investigate all circumstances of the affair, including the extent of her personal responsibility for the failures uncovered.”

The group also noted that “although the affair was exposed already in July 2024, the municipality’s stance—according to which Ms. Mashan should be returned to her position—raises questions about the authority’s willingness to conduct a thorough review of the failures, learn lessons, and act accordingly.”

The organization requested that the attorney general act under Section 11 of the Civil Service Disciplinary Law and file a formal complaint with the disciplinary court.

{Matzav.com}

In a major operation in southern Rafah, IDF forces uncovered the vast underground tunnel network where kidnapped soldier Hadar Goldin Hy”d had been held in recent years. Goldin fell in battle during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, and until now, the full scope of the location where his body was concealed had remained unknown.

The discovery was made during a Southern Command mission involving the elite Yahalom engineering unit together with Shayetet 13 naval commandos. According to the army, the tunnel system was one of the most significant and complex underground routes exposed in Gaza to date.

Military footage showed the extensive subterranean passage, stretching more than seven kilometers at a depth of approximately 25 meters below ground. The tunnel ran beneath a densely populated residential neighborhood near the Philadelphi Corridor and extended beneath sensitive civilian areas, including a United Nations Relief and Works Agency compound, several mosques, medical clinics, kindergartens, and schools.

Inside the underground route, soldiers found roughly 80 rooms. These included command centers used by senior Hamas officials to store weapons, operate for extended periods, and plan terror attacks against IDF forces. Among the high-ranking commanders who used the complex was the Rafah Brigade commander, terrorist Muhammad Shabana.

IDF officials emphasized that the tunnel system demonstrated once again how Hamas embedded military infrastructure underneath civilian neighborhoods and humanitarian sites, endangering the local population while using them as shields.

A highly charged meeting took place Thursday evening in Bnei Brak, as Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka, arrived at the home of Rashbi rosh yeshiva Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman.

The discussion, which lasted about 45 minutes, focused entirely on the draft-law proposal that has dominated the public arena in recent days.

The meeting came just three days after the publication of a recording in which Rav Bergman sharply criticized the proposed legislation, using unusually forceful language.

Yesterday, Rav Hirsch—together with Slabodka rosh yeshiva Rav Dovid Landau—gave the coalition official approval to begin advancing the draft bill in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. That green light followed weeks of deliberations among the leadership and was seen as a decisive turning point enabling the legislative process to move forward.

However, the release this week of recordings of Rav Bergman changed the tenor of the conversation. In the recording, the rosh yeshiva rejects the draft-law outline promoted by committee chairman MK Boaz Bismuth, denouncing it in stark terms.

In excerpts aired by Channel 13 News, Rav Bergman is heard declaring: “I don’t understand how one can even begin to think about this. What are we, owners over the Torah? Will we be afraid that there won’t be money? ‘Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold,’ says HaKadosh Baruch Hu. How can anyone even think of this? We are not going along with it at all! One cannot agree to such a thing! It is both foolishness and wickedness!”

The rosh yeshiva continues in the same vein: “They can do whatever they want, but we cannot agree to it. Not at 50 percent, not at one percent! How can anyone say that a bochur should go to the army? Whoever goes there only deteriorates further and further. It means handing falsehood to our children! We scream that this is ‘shmad’ and that one must give up one’s life, and suddenly we support it? What they want to accomplish in five years is like jumping off the roof!”

Against this dramatic backdrop, Thursday night’s meeting between Rav Hirsch and Rav Bergman was convened in an effort to clarify the direction of the Degel leadership. Details of the meeting have not yet been released.

{Matzav.com}

A dramatic crisis has erupted within Ger amid growing fears that highly personal and sensitive conversations of tens of thousands of chassidim may have been recorded — and could, in the worst-case scenario, become public.

According to a report published this morning in Haaretz, the alarm was triggered during a private din Torah in Bnei Brak, when a relative of Rav Yitzchok Broide — the Gerer Rebbe’s close personal secretary — suddenly produced an audio recording of a private conversation taken from the chassidus’s internal hotline.

That hotline is a dedicated phone line through which Gerer chassidim leave voice messages for Rav Broide, who then conveys the questions to the Rebbe. For years, this system has been relied upon by tens of thousands of families to discuss their most delicate and confidential matters, trusting that the information remained between them, Rav Broide, and the Rebbe.

According to the report, the recording was produced only after that family member lost the initial stage of the din Torah. He then hired new representatives, who claimed to possess new evidence that could overturn the ruling — the recording from the hotline. This immediately led to a terrifying possibility: that not only that one conversation was captured, but potentially every single message ever left on the hotline.

Even after an appeal, the dayanim upheld their original decision. But the revelation sent shockwaves through the chassidus, as chassidim grasped that it may be possible that all their confidential messages — matters involving family struggles, shidduchim, medical issues, and other deeply private concerns — may have been preserved somewhere without their knowledge.

Attorney Shlomo Elbaum, a member of the Bnei Brak city council, told Haaretz: “I heard about what happened in the beis din. I looked into it with reliable sources and I heard that everything is true.”

Elbaum added that, as someone who was once part of Ger and used the hotline himself for personal matters, he is deeply worried that everything may have been saved and could one day be misused. “This is a massive breach of public trust, and everyone should be shaken by it, especially since we have no idea who is the responsible party holding the recordings.”

A current Ger chossid expressed his own sense of betrayal, saying: “I feel exposed and betrayed. It shook me to my core. Rav Broide was supposed to be the greatest guardian of our secrets. We all trusted him and saw him as a faithful messenger. I hope it stays that way.”

Rav Broide himself responded that he has no knowledge of any recordings being stored:
“I don’t know anything about recordings being kept. I’m not involved in the business dealings of my relatives or what they say in beis din. Someone mentioned it to me, but I’m not involved.”

Regarding responsibility for the hotline, he said: “I am not the owner of the phone line. They gave me a phone number, and that is what I work with. I don’t know anything beyond that. In any case, no one discusses truly personal matters here — only surgeries, shidduchim, things like that. Who is responsible for the line? I have no idea. This is the first time I’m hearing that the calls may have been recorded.”

Ger’s official statement to Haaretz denied any possibility that the hotline can be recorded:
“From our internal review, there is no ability to record calls on the line in question.”

{Matzav.com}

Just hours before he was scheduled to meet President Donald Trump at the White House, former hostage Bar Kuperstein sat down with CNN for an emotional interview, recounting the horrors he endured in captivity and the long journey back to himself since his release.

“It was Gehinnom,” he said, describing the nearly two years he spent underground, “but I try to laugh, be happy with my family, and look forward.”

Kuperstein had been freed only a month and a week earlier, yet every mundane moment still felt miraculous. “Every morning was emotional,” he said. “Just being here, breathing, and not down in the tunnels — it was a feeling of gratitude to Hashem.” Still, he admitted that the joy was mixed with lingering trauma. “There were nights I couldn’t fall asleep, hard thoughts, a sense of disconnection. I surrounded myself with people who support me — and I believed I would heal.”

On the day of his abduction, Kuperstein was working as a security guard at the Nova festival site. “I was responsible for safety,” he said. “If I had run, I could never have forgiven myself. People told me I was a hero, but I just did my job.”

He spent 738 days in captivity — “in a tiny cell,” as he put it. “At first my eyes were covered, and I wasn’t allowed to speak. I counted days — that was the only activity I had. Days turned into weeks, into months, and into two years.”

He described repeated threats of execution, starvation, beatings, verbal abuse, and being stripped of any basic human dignity. “They said it was because of Ben Gvir and the government,” he recalled. He also referenced the video in which he and Maxim Herkin were seen alive. “All I wanted was for my family to know I was alive. I didn’t care what they told me to say — I just wanted them to see me.”

The 23-year-old said that his faith deepened precisely in captivity. “Hashem gave me strength. From the first day I felt I would come out whole. I wasn’t very religious before — just traditional — but there I spoke to Hashem. He saved me. Every day I stayed alive was a miracle.”

He even managed to listen to radio broadcasts from the depths of the tunnels. “Imagine that — thirty meters underground, and you’re hearing the radio. I heard about the protests, about the birthday my mother organized for me in the Hostages Square. They even gave me a picture of my father standing at a protest on his feet, despite his disability.”

He said the hardest moments came each time rumors of a release deal collapsed. “Every time we thought — again it won’t happen. Even when I was already on the way home, I didn’t believe it was real.”

Now, together with sixteen other survivors, Kuperstein was heading toward a historic meeting in the Oval Office. Of Trump, he said: “He is a messenger of Hashem. Hashem wanted us to come out — and Trump fulfilled His role.”

A delegation of senior Bnei Brak municipal officials—led by Mayor Chanoch Zeibert and his deputy, Menachem Shapira—traveled to Miami last week, sparking sharp criticism from residents. The trip, described by critics as a “luxury vacation at the public’s expense,” was conducted in first class and carried an estimated price tag that many insisted was unacceptable for a publicly funded delegation.

While the mayor has not yet issued a response, Deputy Mayor Menachem Shapira chose to address the growing controversy in a conversation with Kikar HaShabbat, offering a detailed explanation of the trip’s purpose.

Shapira, who serves as Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Planning and Construction Committee, said, “I will be returning early this week from the United States following a professional work visit, together with a delegation headed by Mayor Chanoch Zeibert, joined by the city’s CEO, the Halachic Committee CEO, and his deputy.”

According to Shapira, the visit was not a leisure trip but rather a key stage in advancing one of the largest municipal infrastructure and recreation projects in Bnei Brak’s history: a 350-dunam municipal attractions park, carrying an estimated cost of 180 million shekels.

“This project represents a historic planning milestone,” he explained, “and will provide the residents of Bnei Brak with a modern, unique recreation space that is fully suited to the character and needs of the chareidi community.”

Shapira added that the project will include a 15,000-seat amphitheater, a state-of-the-art ropes park, a karting complex, extreme-sports installations, large-scale play areas, and more than five kilometers of uninterrupted cycling paths.

One of the central claims raised by critics was that there was no justification for such an expensive overseas trip. In his response, Shapira argued that the unusual scope of the project—and the halachic, logistical, and safety requirements unique to the city—demanded direct examination of technologies, safety systems, and operational models.

“As part of the advanced planning stages,” Shapira said, “the delegation participated in the IAAPA convention in Orlando, the world’s leading professional exhibition in the field of recreational installations.” He noted that the delegation held meetings with top international companies regarding advanced safety systems, cutting-edge equipment, and specialized solutions appropriate for the chareidi public over the long-term operation of the park.

Addressing concerns about the cost of the trip, Shapira emphasized, “I joined the professional visit after being in the United States for a private family event. This visit is another essential stage in leading one of Bnei Brak’s most significant municipal projects. It reflects a deep commitment to developing world-class infrastructure while maintaining unwavering consideration for the needs and sensitivities of our residents.”

{Matzav.com}

Following a string of vandalism and stone-throwing incidents targeting buses in Bnei Brak’s Kiryat Herzog neighborhood, the city and police have launched an expanded enforcement campaign aimed at stopping the attacks and ensuring uninterrupted public transportation for residents.

A special emergency meeting was convened in the office of Deputy Mayor and Transportation Commissioner Rabbi Michoel Kakon after repeated cases of buses being damaged in the area.

The meeting brought together key municipal and law-enforcement officials, including Rabbi Hanoch Zeidman, head of the Infrastructure Division; Elad Amoyal, commander of the municipal police unit; and senior representatives of the Dan bus company—Shai Malka, Kobi Bibla, and Itamar Cohen.

During the briefing, participants agreed to deploy a broad enforcement array, with police placing strict and explicit emphasis on stopping the attacks. In the coming days, police will station both visible patrols and undercover units at known hotspots to identify those involved and prevent further harm to drivers, passengers, and buses. Authorities stressed that anyone convicted of vandalism or violence will face severe penalties.

Officials also coordinated contingency plans to prevent disruptions to bus routes within the neighborhood. In cases such as hachnasas sefer Torah events, unusual crowding, or road blockages, buses will be rerouted through alternative streets to maintain steady service for the public.

The meeting concluded with a clear message from city officials: “We will not allow harm to public transportation or to the safety of drivers and passengers. The Bnei Brak municipality will continue to act decisively together with the police until this unacceptable phenomenon is completely eradicated.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump issued a series of fiery Truth Social posts on Thursday morning, denouncing a group of Democrat lawmakers who recorded a video urging members of the military and intelligence community to reject illegal commands. The lawmakers involved, all veterans or former intelligence officials, became the focus of an escalating war of words that quickly spread across Washington.

Trump reacted to their video by insisting that the conduct crossed a dangerous line. In one post, he declared, “It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. Their words cannot be allowed to stand — We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET.” He followed with another message saying, “This is really bad, and Dangerous to our Country. Their words cannot be allowed to stand. SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR FROM TRAITORS!!! LOCK THEM UP???” A third post escalated the tone even further: “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

Alongside his own comments, Trump amplified multiple Truth Social posts from supporters, including one message stating, “Hang them George Washington would.”

The video that sparked the explosion was posted by Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin. Speaking directly to those in uniform and to intelligence officers, the lawmakers said, “We know you are under enormous stress and pressure right now. Americans trust their military but that trust is at risk.” The group included Slotkin, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, and Reps. Chris DeLuzio of Pennsylvania, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, and Jason Crow of Colorado. Their message continued: “This administration is pitting our uniformed military and intelligence community professionals against American citizens. Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution. Right now, the threats coming to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad but from right here at home. Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our constitution.”

Almost immediately after Slotkin’s video went live, Trump advisor Stephen Miller attacked it as “openly calling for insurrection.” Slotkin rejected the criticism, writing, “This is the law. Passed down from our Founding Fathers, to ensure our military upholds its oath to the Constitution — not a king. Given you’re directing much of a military policy, you should buff up on the Uniformed Code of Military Justice.”

The confrontation takes place as Trump continues to face backlash over recent deployments of troops to various American cities and his directive ordering strikes on suspected drug vessels in international waters. While Democrats have consistently opposed these measures, Republicans have mostly aligned with Trump’s approach, despite moments of hesitation inside the party.

At the White House later in the day, press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked whether Trump was literally calling for the execution of members of Congress. Her reply was, “no,” though she immediately shifted blame back onto the Democrats in the video. She argued that “many in this room want to talk about the president’s response, but not what brought the president to responding in this way,” adding that the lawmakers had “conspired together to orchestrate a video message to members of the United States Military… encouraging them to defy the President’s lawful orders.” She suggested that their actions “perhaps is punishable by law,” while clarifying, “I’m not a lawyer. I’ll leave that to the Department of Justice in the Department of War to decide.”

The lawmakers targeted by Trump issued a joint statement hours after his posts, asking Americans to “unite and condemn the President’s calls for our murder and political violence.” They added, “What’s most telling is that the President considers it punishable by death for us to restate the law. Our servicemembers should know that we have their backs as they fulfill their oath to the Constitution and obligation to follow only lawful orders.”

Their message was echoed by top Democrat leadership. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other senior House Democrats released a statement characterizing Trump’s messages as “disgusting and dangerous death threats against Members of Congress.” They also confirmed they had been in contact with U.S. Capitol Police because of heightened security concerns.

On the Senate floor, Chuck Schumer warned that Trump’s rhetoric had crossed a perilous threshold. “The president of the United States is calling for the execution of elected officials. This is an outright threat, and it’s deadly serious,” he said. Schumer went on to caution, “When Donald Trump uses the language of execution and treason, some of his supporters may very well listen. He is lighting a match in a country soaked with political gasoline.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro weighed in publicly on behalf of two of his state’s congressional delegation, Houlahan and DeLuzio, saying Trump “called for violence” against them. Shapiro accused Trump of “actively encouraging political violence once again” and condemned the silence of Republican allies who decline to challenge him.

This latest firestorm comes amid a string of deeply troubling incidents: the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the killing of a Minnesota lawmaker, an arson attack at Shapiro’s residence, and two attempts on Trump’s life. Even as political rhetoric intensifies, NBC News polling shows Americans increasingly believe extreme language contributes directly to violence.

Complicating matters further, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she has been subjected to increased threats after Trump criticized her online, while several Indiana Republican lawmakers reported swatting attempts hours after Trump blasted them over their stance on redistricting.

{Matzav.com}

The legal fight surrounding the Ponovezh Yeshiva reached a new intensity today, as the attorney representing the faction aligned with Rav Shmuel Markovitz sharply attacked the latest arbitration decision and vowed to challenge it in court.

In an interview with Kan Moreshet, attorney Mordechai Beitz, who represents the faction led by Rav Markovitz, warned that the ruling issued by retired judge David Cheshin is likely to face significant delays and may ultimately be overturned.

Beitz described the decision as “catastrophic, baseless, something that could not possibly have been rendered according to din Torah, and a reflection of genuine malice.” He argued that the order to remove hundreds of bochurim, avreichim, and families from the yeshiva’s domains is unprecedented in the history of Torah institutions.

According to Beitz, Rav Markovitz “acts only according to din Torah,” and the original arbitration framework—established in 1999 at the direction of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l—cannot be undone. He stressed that the 2000 rabbinic ruling, which was later affirmed by both the district court and the Supreme Court, “determined unequivocally that Rav Markovitz is the rosh yeshiva.” A later arbitrator, he insisted, “cannot cancel an existing ruling.”

Beitz maintained that Judge Cheshin exceeded the mandate he was given by reopening matters that had already been decided. “He was supposed to continue the arbitration from the point where it had stopped, not restart everything from scratch. There is no legal authority to erase a previous arbitration decision. This is an overreach that violates public policy.”

He further argued that the new ruling relied almost entirely on claims submitted by the rival faction. “It looks as if he simply signed what they wrote. As for the violence—both sides were harmed, but they documented and we did not base our case on documentation. That is not grounds for evacuating an entire community.”

Addressing the question of property ownership, Beitz said, “A yeshiva is a spiritual entity, not a real-estate corporation. Even Avrom Kahaneman, founder of the other side, would say: forget shares—this is a yeshiva. That was the intent of the donors and the founders.”

He detailed the next steps planned by his clients: “We will submit a request to void the arbitration ruling and ask for a stay of execution. Normally it is difficult to overturn such a decision, but when an arbitrator nullifies a ruling that was already approved by the Supreme Court, the overreach is clear.”

Beitz also suggested that the opposing side appeared to have been tipped off in advance. “Even before we received the ruling, they already knew. They had speakers ready and were prepared ahead of time.”

Discussing Rav Markovitz’s personal reaction, he said, “He feels it is impossible for a ruling that defines a yeshiva as a commercial contract to stand. A rosh yeshiva teaches that without Torah there is nothing, and suddenly he is told that everything is contractual and transactional.”

Beitz concluded with a harsh assessment: “In forty years of litigation, I have never encountered such an extreme ruling. Evicting hundreds of families from the Torah world—this has never happened before.”

{Matzav.com}

Seventeen survivors of captivity, all rescued about a month ago, are scheduled to spend the day at the White House, where they will meet President Donald Trump as part of an ongoing effort to keep the plight of the hostages at the forefront of international attention. Among the group are Gali and Ziv Berman, the twin brothers from Kibbutz Kfar Aza, who will be stepping into the Oval Office for the very first time.

In a powerful and deeply symbolic gesture, the Berman twins will hand President Trump the original mezuzah that once hung on the doorpost of their home in the Young Generation neighborhood of Kfar Aza—the very place from which they were abducted on October 7th. Although their home was reduced to ruins during the horrific attack, and nearly every house in their neighborhood was destroyed, the mezuzah was discovered intact when the brothers were finally able to return last week. The small parchment, untouched by the fire that consumed everything around it, has become a moving reminder of survival, protection, and hashgacha.

The brothers expressed their purpose for the visit with clear emotion, saying: “We came to thank the President of the United States for the many actions he took toward our release. At the same time, it’s important to remember that the mission is not yet complete. There are three deceased hostages still being held in Gaza. Until everyone returns, we cannot begin our rehabilitation as a society and as a nation.”

Along with the mezuzah, President Trump will receive a heartfelt letter from the Berman family bearing the inscription: “A Gift from Kfar Aza – In Honor of the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.”

The letter continues, describing the sacred item’s significance, the horror endured by the community on October 7th, and the gratitude the family feels toward the President for his involvement in bringing their sons home. It concludes with the prayerful hope that this mezuzah will stand as a lasting symbol of “courage, of faith, and of the eternal friendship between our peoples.”

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Al Green of Texas is once again moving forward with an impeachment effort against President Donald Trump, declaring that he intends to bring the matter to the House floor this week and framing the move as a defining measure of where his party stands.

Green issued a firm promise about the timing of his plan, saying, “There will be articles of impeachment filed before the Dec. 25th break. This, I pledge. We have to participate. This is a participatory democracy. The impeachment requires the hands and the guidance of all of us.” His comments underscored his insistence that Democrats must take concrete action rather than rely on rhetoric alone.

By submitting the resolution as a privileged motion, Green is forcing the chamber to address the matter within two legislative days. Lawmakers may choose to table the effort before it reaches an actual impeachment vote, but they will not be able to ignore it. Green also announced that he and other activists would be taking their message public with a peaceful gathering at the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday.

This marks Green’s fifth attempt to introduce articles of impeachment, a campaign that comes amid deep frustration from portions of the Democrat base about how to confront Trump. Progressive activists have frequently criticized their own party’s leadership, especially in the wake of the 43-day government shutdown that ended without significant concessions from Republicans. Even prior to the shutdown, figures such as Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner urged the party to replace its congressional leadership to present stronger opposition.

At Thursday’s press conference, Dave Mytych of FLARE — For Liberation and Resistance Everywhere — openly rebuked top Democrats, pressing them to show backbone. “This is what the American people want. They want fighters that hold the line. Democrats, are you listening? Leader Schumer, are you listening? Leader Jeffries, are you listening?” he said while standing beside Green.

The House has already impeached Trump twice — once in 2019 and again in 2021. In both instances, the Senate declined to convict. With that history in mind, Green was asked whether another failed impeachment attempt could reflect poorly on leaders like Jeffries and Schumer if they decline to support it. He avoided addressing their political standing directly, noting instead that as many as 80 lawmakers have backed his efforts in the past.

Green maintained that his motivation is rooted in constitutional duty, stating, “Here’s my perspective. I believe in the Constitution. People who vote to table the articles are voting against impeachment.”

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s leadership is sounding an alarm over the country’s deepening environmental crisis, with President Masoud Pezeshkian declaring that the capital can no longer remain in Tehran. His remarks, delivered during a visit to Qazvin, reflected an unusually blunt assessment of the danger facing the nation.

Pezeshkian explained that the idea of relocating the capital has been discussed before, but the state lacked the funds to pursue it. “When we said we must move the capital, we did not even have enough budget. If we had, maybe it would have been done. The reality is that we no longer have a choice; it is an obligation,” he said, underscoring how urgent the situation has become.

The president pointed to severe land subsidence in parts of Tehran—up to 30 centimeters each year—as well as rapidly declining access to water. He described the condition bluntly, warning, “This means disaster.” According to him, years of mismanagement, unchecked development, and significant reductions in water flow have pushed the region toward potentially irreversible harm.

He cautioned that without immediate intervention, Iran faces something far worse than an inconvenience. “Protecting the environment is not a joke. Ignoring it means signing our own destruction,” Pezeshkian emphasized, painting a bleak picture of what lies ahead if the government remains idle.

Reports indicate that Iran’s long-term plan involves transferring the capital to Makran, located on the southern coast near the Gulf of Oman. The area’s access to the Indian Ocean offers possibilities for new economic and infrastructure development, including maritime projects. However, experts argue that the region is far from prepared to absorb the full weight of a national capital. Its underdeveloped state, lack of major services, and the immense cost of such a move have stalled the plan for years.

{Matzav.com}