Matzav

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu on Tuesday finalized a joint declaration with Germany’s Interior Minister, Alexander Dobrindt, establishing a broad security cooperation framework between the two nations. The agreement formalizes collaboration among Israeli and German security agencies in fields including cybersecurity, cutting-edge technology, policing, counterterrorism efforts, and civil defense.

“I attach enormous importance to the overall cooperation between Israel and Germany, and especially Israel and Germany on this question of cybersecurity, which is one of the main threats to our internal security, and in many ways also our infrastructure and other threats,” Netanyahu stated.

Expanding on the depth of bilateral ties, the prime minister pointed to existing joint projects and ongoing defense coordination between Jerusalem and Berlin. “And I think Germany and Israel are natural partners. We’ve cooperated on the Arrow III; we’ve cooperated in many areas. We cooperate technologically. Chancellor Mertz was here recently, and we talked about defense cooperation,” he added.

Netanyahu closed his remarks by welcoming the German interior minister and emphasizing the personal and diplomatic significance of the agreement. “And now I’m very pleased to welcome a dear friend of Israel, Minister Dobrindt, to sign this important pact. So, thank you for your friendship, thank you for your support, and please convey this to your government as well.”

[Video below.] White House border czar Tom Homan said Sunday that the conduct of Minneapolis shooting victim Renee Good before she was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer could meet the legal standard for domestic terrorism, echoing claims made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other administration officials.

“I don’t know what Secretary Noem knows,” Homan said during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press. “If you look up the definition of terrorism, it can fall under that definition.”

Good was fatally shot in the head during a confrontation with ICE agents. Administration officials have maintained that the shooting was an act of self-defense, asserting that Good attempted to strike veteran ICE agent Jonathan Ross with her vehicle before he opened fire.

“We’ve all got to agree there’s no reason … to do what she did,” Homan said Sunday. “There’s no reason to be there.”

“If you want to protest, protest; but don’t actively impede and interfere and certainly don’t drive a 4,000-pound vehicle toward an officer,” he added.

Homan described the incident as “tragic” while urging the public to allow investigators to complete their work. He also warned that what he called “hateful rhetoric” has contributed to a rise in violence directed at federal law enforcement officers.

He cautioned that widely circulated video clips do not provide a complete picture of the encounter, noting that investigators are still reviewing forensic and ballistic evidence, along with additional footage that may not yet be public.

“Look, it’s tragic,” Homan said. “I’ve said from March that if the hateful rhetoric doesn’t decline, there will be bloodshed. I’ve seen it before, and unfortunately, I was right. There’s been a lot of bloodshed.”

According to Homan, understanding the officer’s state of mind is a key element in determining whether the shooting was justified, saying the circumstances could support a self-defense claim.

“You have to put yourself in the mind of the officer,” he said. “I truly believe this officer, in his mind, thought his mind was in danger, which allows him to use lethal force.”

Homan repeatedly stressed that conclusions should be withheld until the investigation is finished.

“Let the investigation play out,” he said. “There’s a lot of video we probably haven’t seen that the FBI has that we don’t. Where’s the forensics and the ballistics?”

He also pushed back against public commentary branding the officer a criminal before investigators have reached their findings.

“Saying this officer is a murderer is dangerous,” Homan said. “It’s just ridiculous. It’s going to infuriate people more.”

Asked whether he had evidence to justify labeling Good’s actions as terrorism, Homan said he was not prepared to second-guess Noem, while reiterating his view that the behavior captured on video was unlawful.

Homan went on to criticize Minnesota’s immigration policies, arguing that federal agents were operating in Minneapolis because state and local leaders restrict cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

“Why are we in Minneapolis?” Homan said. “Because it’s a sanctuary city and a sanctuary state.”

He said ICE was focused on apprehending “dangerous” individuals and emphasized that interfering with federal officers is a crime.

“It’s not OK to impede and interfere with an officer,” he said. “They’re arresting bad people, and it’s illegal. What she did is a crime.

“It’s illegal to impede law enforcement officers, and that’s why we’re there.”

Homan also defended the FBI’s leadership of the investigation after some local officials complained about being sidelined, saying such cases are routinely handled at the federal level when a federal officer is involved.

“This is a federal crime,” he said. “When a federal officer is in a shooting, it falls under the FBI. It’s been that way forever.”

WATCH:

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[Video below.] Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem clashed sharply with CNN anchor Jake Tapper on Sunday as she defended Immigration and Customs Enforcement following the fatal shooting of Renee Good, telling the host he cannot “change the facts” simply because he does not “like them.”

During a tense exchange on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Tapper pressed Noem on how she could so quickly label Good a “domestic terrorist” and publicly back ICE officer Jonathan Ross only hours after the incident.

“Everything that I’ve said has been proven to be factual,” Noem responded during the interview.

“[I] decided that the department and the people of this country deserve to know the truth of the situation of what has unfolded in Minneapolis.”

Tapper then zeroed in on Noem’s early description of the shooting last Wednesday, when she said ICE officers “were attempting to push out their vehicle, and a woman attacked them and those surrounding them and attempted to run them over.”

“That’s not what happened,” Tapper argued, later suggesting that his concern centered on whether Good had actually attacked the officers.

“It absolutely is what happened,” Noem countered. “[She] blocked the road for a long time and was yelling at them and impeding a federal law enforcement operation.”

Video from several angles captured the confrontation between Ross and Good that Wednesday. Good, a mother of three, had parked her vehicle in the roadway, preventing the officers from moving forward for more than three minutes.

When officers exited their vehicle to address the situation, Ross was positioned in front of Good’s car when she suddenly accelerated.

Ross jumped aside and fired a round into the windshield, then appeared to fire two additional shots into the side of the SUV.

Noem said Ross was later treated at a nearby hospital after being “hit by the vehicle” and was subsequently released.

Tapper questioned why Noem was convinced that Good was not “trying to move her car and flee and get away,” rather than intentionally striking Ross.

“The facts of the situation are that the vehicle was weaponized, and it attacked the law enforcement officer,” Noem said. “He defended himself, and he defended those individuals around him.”

“When there is something that is weaponized to use against the public and law enforcement, that is an act of domestic terrorism,” she added. “You don’t get to change the facts just because you don’t like them.”

Senior Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance, have forcefully defended Ross amid widespread criticism.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has confirmed that it is investigating the shooting.

“You see how quickly the situation unfolded, how the officer was in front of the vehicle when she sped off,” Noem told Tapper. “How she ran into him. And how he had to take quick action based on his training to defend himself and his colleagues.

“That’s very clear and factual from the videos that you can see, it’s nobody’s interpretation.”

Tapper later attempted to challenge Noem by airing footage of Capitol Police officers being assaulted during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, noting that those involved were later pardoned by President Donald Trump.

Noem dismissed the comparison, saying that “every single one of these investigations comes in the full context of the situation on the ground.”

She also criticized statements from Minnesota officials, singling out Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for calling on ICE to “get ….out of” the city.

“They’ve extremely politicized and inappropriately talked about the situation on the ground in their city. They’ve inflamed the public, they’ve encouraged the kind of destruction and violence that we’ve seen in Minneapolis in the last several days,” Noem said of local leaders.

“I would encourage them to grow up.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of State Marco Rubio may soon be linked to yet another hypothetical role, after President Donald Trump floated the idea in a social media post.

Trump suggested that Rubio — who has already juggled multiple senior positions at once and is frequently mentioned for additional responsibilities — could even end up leading Cuba, the country Rubio’s parents escaped in the 1950s during the Batista dictatorship.

“Sounds good to me,” Trump wrote Sunday on Truth Social, replying to a tongue-in-cheek comment from a user who joked that Rubio might become Cuba’s president once the current government collapses.

The remark quickly fed into a long-running online gag surrounding Rubio’s ever-expanding list of assignments under Trump.

Currently, Rubio is serving simultaneously as secretary of state, acting national security adviser, and acting national archivist. He also temporarily ran the US Agency for International Development until stepping away from that role last August.

Last year, former national security adviser Jake Sullivan publicly scoffed at the notion that Rubio could manage both the State Department and the National Security Council at the same time, calling the idea “ludicrous.”

Despite such criticism, Rubio’s workload has become a running joke online, with memes suggesting that whenever a vacancy appears, Trump will hand the job to his secretary of state.

Those jokes have imagined Rubio taking on everything from president of Venezuela to governor of Minnesota, secretary-general of Greenland, and even general manager of the Miami Dolphins.

Most of the memes feature an image of Rubio visibly recoiling during the widely publicized Feb. 28, 2025, Oval Office confrontation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, when raised voices echoed in front of television cameras.

As speculation spiraled, Rubio — a well-known sports enthusiast — moved last week to shut down talk that he might take over the Dolphins’ sideline or front office.

“I do not normally respond to online rumors but feel the need to do so at this moment I will not be a candidate for the currently vacant HC and GM positions with the Miami Dolphins,” Rubio wrote on X.

“My focus must remain on global events and also the precious archives of the United States of America.”

Trump’s offhand comment about Cuba came as his administration weighs its next steps toward the island nation.

“If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I would be concerned. At least a little bit,” Rubio told reporters following Operation Absolute Resolve, which resulted in the capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro.

Rubio has repeatedly pointed to Cuba’s deep involvement in Venezuela, including the presence of Cuban personnel among those guarding Maduro during the operation.

On Sunday, Trump escalated his rhetoric, warning Havana that “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA” from Venezuela and urging Cuban leaders to strike a deal “BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”

“Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela. In return, Cuba provided ‘Security Services’ for the last two Venezuelan dictators, Trump posted on Truth Social.

“Venezuela doesn’t need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years. Venezuela now has the United States of America, the most powerful military in the World (by far!), to protect them, and protect them we will.”

An overnight fire at the Reform Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi — the city’s only Jewish synagogue — is under investigation by city, state, and federal officials after a suspect was taken into custody.

The fire ignited just after 3 a.m. Shabbos, inflicting heavy damage on portions of the historic building. Crews from the Jackson Fire Department responded quickly and succeeded in bringing the flames under control. No injuries were reported.

Jackson Mayor John Horhn denounced the incident, saying it struck at both religious liberty and public safety. In a statement, he warned that antisemitism, racism, and religious hatred pose a danger to the entire community and will be addressed as such, while affirming the city’s support for the Beth Israel congregation and the broader Jewish community.

Officials have not disclosed the suspect’s identity or outlined potential charges. Authorities also have not yet determined whether the fire will be officially designated a hate crime.

The probe is being conducted jointly by the Jackson Fire Department’s Arson Investigation Division and the Jackson Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Investigators say the inquiry is ongoing.

Founded more than a century ago, Beth Israel Congregation is the oldest synagogue in Jackson. The building was previously targeted in a 1967 Ku Klux Klan bombing that damaged synagogue offices and the rabbi’s home. No one was killed in that earlier attack.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli police last week arrested an Arab resident of Ramallah suspected of defrauding 100 Israelis of a total of some 3 million shekels (~$950,000) by purchasing their products online and making it appear he had paid them.

A Special Operations Unit raided the suspect’s home and arrested him. The suspect’s detention has been extended until this Wednesday.

The Arab, in his 50s, is suspected of pretending to be an Israeli living in the country’s north, the police investigation revealed. He would contact his victims to purchase goods they posted on various online sites, including Yad2, a popular secondhand site that sells everything from home goods to health products.

The suspect would negotiate a price with the sellers and send a phony confirmation showing transfer of payment. He would then send a taxi to pick up the product from the victim’s home. The product would be transferred to another taxi in Samaria and eventually reach the seller in Ramallah, Ynet reported.

The suspect purchased laser hair removal machines and photography equipment, among other items.

By the time the victim learned that the money transfer confirmation was fake, it was too late.

The investigation showed that between 2024 and 2025, about 100 Israelis lodged complaints against the Ramallah resident. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has threatened to attack the U.S. military and Israel should President Donald Trump authorize strikes against the regime for harming protesters amid growing unrest in the country, the Associated Press reported on Sunday.

Ghalibaf, a former commander of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that the two allies were “legitimate targets,” according to the news agency, making the threat as lawmakers rushed to the dais in the Islamic Consultative Assembly in Tehran’s Baharestan district, shouting: “Death to America!”

“In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory [i.e. Israel] and all American military centers, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets,” Ghalibaf said. “We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action and will act based on any objective signs of a threat.”

Trump has made recent public comments and social media posts warning of consequences if the regime cracks down on nationwide protests, on Saturday writing on his Truth Social platform that “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!”

The State Department also warned: “Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he’ll do something, he means it.”

The New York Times, citing U.S. officials, reported on Saturday: “Mr. Trump has not made a final decision, but the officials said he was seriously considering authorizing a strike in response to the Iranian regime’s efforts to suppress demonstrations set off by widespread economic grievances.

“The president has been presented with a range of options, including strikes on nonmilitary sites in Tehran, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential conversations,” the report continued.

An official told The Wall Street Journal on Saturday that one option under consideration is a large-scale aerial assault on Iranian military positions. Another official noted that no consensus has been reached and that no troops or equipment have been mobilized in preparation for such an operation.

The officials emphasized that the talks are part of routine military planning and stressed there are no indications of an imminent strike on Iran.

The Israel Defense Forces said over the weekend that it is maintaining high operational readiness and closely monitoring developments in Iran, following a series of security assessments led by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.

The army stressed that the ongoing protests are “an internal Iranian matter,” but noted that Israel’s defenses are reinforced and its capabilities constantly being upgraded.​

“We are prepared on defense and will know how to respond forcefully if required,” the IDF said, adding that it “will do whatever is necessary to protect the citizens of the State of Israel.” ​

Demonstrators filled the streets of Tehran and Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, again on Sunday, extending into a third week protests challenging the country’s Islamic theocratic rule. At least 116 people have been killed in the unrest, according to activists, as authorities struggle to contain some of the largest anti-government demonstrations in years.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned on Sunday that “rioters and terrorists” must not be allowed to disturb public order, accusing Israel and the United States of fomenting unrest.

Speaking to state broadcaster IRIB, Pezeshkian said Iranians should trust that authorities seek to “establish justice” and not allow agitators to “disrupt society.” He claimed that foreign adversaries aim to “sow chaos and disorder” in the Islamic Republic by instigating the ongoing protests.

With internet access disrupted and phone lines cut, verifying details of the turmoil has grown increasingly difficult. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said the death toll continues to rise and that regime security forces have detained more than 2,600 people since the protests began.

Ghalibaf sent a stern message to the protesters in his speech praising the response of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its Basij paramilitary volunteers, saying that “the people of Iran should know that we will deal with them in the most severe way and punish those who are arrested.”

The army said Saturday that it would “resolutely defend national interests, strategic infrastructure, and public property,” accusing Israel and what it described as terrorist organizations of fueling the unrest and pledging to “foil the enemy’s schemes,” the Journal reported.

Nationwide protests, the largest in three years, erupted on Dec. 28 over soaring inflation and a plunging currency, with the rial falling to a record low of 1.46 million to the dollar on Tuesday.

The protests have widened to include calls to overthrow the Islamist government. Strikes have also been a part of the movement.

The theocratic dictatorship is also dealing with the reimposition of economic sanctions over nuclear violations along with water and electricity crises. JNS

{Matzav.com}

The operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolas Maduro is now being described as a turning point in modern combat, with claims that an unfamiliar and extraordinarily powerful weapon was deployed during the mission.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt amplified those claims, urging the public to pay attention as she shared a disturbing eyewitness narrative on X. “Stop what you are doing and read this… ,” she wrote while circulating the account.

According to the testimony, Venezuelan troops were incapacitated almost instantly, with soldiers collapsing to the ground, “bleeding through the nose,” and throwing up blood. The account was attributed to a Venezuelan guard who said he personally witnessed the events.

The guard said the attack began with something unfamiliar and impossible for him to identify. “At one point, they launched something; I don’t know how to describe it,” he said in the account posted on X.

He explained that what followed felt overwhelming and physically crushing. “It was like a very intense sound wave. Suddenly, I felt like my head was exploding from the inside.

“It was like a very intense sound wave.”

As a result, he said, the Venezuelan forces were rendered helpless and unable to mount any resistance.

According to the guard, the technological gap made fighting back impossible. “We had no way to compete with their technology, with their weapons,” he said. “I swear, I’ve never seen anything like it. We couldn’t even stand up after that sonic weapon or whatever it was.”

He went on to claim that American forces eliminated hundreds of fighters on the ground without losing a single soldier during the engagement.

Describing the moments leading up to the assault, the guard said Venezuelan defenses suddenly went blind. “We were on guard, but suddenly all our radar systems shut down without any explanation,” he said. “The next thing we saw were drones, a lot of drones, flying over our positions. We didn’t know how to react.”

He said that shortly afterward, only “barely eight” helicopters arrived, unloading roughly 20 U.S. troops. Despite their small number, he said, their technological superiority proved decisive.

Those developments, he said, resulted in a massacre.

“We were hundreds, but we had no chance,” the guard said. “They were shooting with such precision and speed; it felt like each soldier was firing 300 rounds per minute.”

He repeated that the outcome was lopsided and devastating. “Those 20 men, without a single casualty, killed hundreds of us,” he said. “We had no way to compete with their technology, with their weapons. I swear, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The White House did not respond to a New York Post request seeking clarification on whether Leavitt’s repost meant the administration had independently confirmed the account.

Venezuela’s Interior Ministry, meanwhile, asserted that roughly 100 members of the country’s security forces were killed during the operation.

Separately, a former U.S. intelligence source told the Post that the United States has possessed directed-energy weapons for years, including systems capable of causing effects such as “bleeding, inability to move or function, pain and burning.”

The guard said he decided to speak out as a warning to anyone considering confrontation with the United States. “they have no idea what they’re capable of. After what I saw, I never want to be on the other side of that again. They’re not to be messed with.”

He added that the incident is already reverberating far beyond the battlefield. “Everyone is already talking about this,” he said. “No one wants to go through what we went through. What happened here is going to change a lot of things — not just in Venezuela, but throughout the region.”

{Matzav.com}

Rav Gershon Ribner, rosh kollel of Kollel Nesivos Hatorah and son-in-law of Rav Shneur Kotler, has succeeded in applying classical Talmudical analysis and methodology to understanding all areas of Yiddishkeit, bringing out its profundity and sense.

LISTEN:

Remarks were delivered overnight by Rav Reuven Elbaz, Rosh Yeshiva of Ohr HaChaim and a member of the Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah of Shas, as he addressed the condition of Klal Yisroel and the dramatic period through which we are currently passing.

In his words, Rav Elbaz expressed absolute confidence in the nearness of the geulah, speaking with sharp and unequivocal language. “My heart is certain,” the Rav said. “We are not talking about distant times. Not months. We are in moments, in hours, in days — and perhaps in the coming weeks — before the revelation of the true light.”

According to Rav Elbaz, the present reality is not another routine chapter in Jewish history, but a decisive historical turning point. “Our situation today touches the very apple of the Creator’s eye,” he said. “This cannot continue like this. It simply cannot be.”

Rav Elbaz stressed that this is not merely a general belief that “in the end it will be good,” but a complete transformation of reality itself. “Everything will be turned over,” he declared. “I tell you — everything will be turned for the good. Not only ‘this too is for the good,’ and not only ‘all that the Merciful One does is for the good.’ It’s not just that it will be good — it is the good itself.” He reiterated that these words are not abstract consolation, but a tangible reality about to be revealed. “This is exactly what must be. There will be only good. And with Hashem’s help, we will yet see this good revealed, when everything — literally everything — is transformed into white, pure, and refined.”

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.comreports the petirah of Rav Yitzchak Shlomo Linder zt”l of the Yerushalayim–Masmidim community and one of the distinguished melamdim at the Boyan Talmud Torah in Yerushalayim. He was 80 years old.

The levayah took place on Motzaei Shabbos, departing from the Shamgar Funeral Home in Yerushalayim and proceeding to Har HaMenuchos for kevurah.

Rav Linder was born in Yerushalayim on the 13th of Shevat, 5706 (1946), to his father, Rav Yechiel Fishel Linder of the Shaarei Chesed neighborhood, and his mother, Mrs. Hadassah.

When he reached marriageable age, he married the daughter of Rav Moshe Pinchas Azriel Eichler, one of the respected figures of old Yerushalayim.

For many years, Rav Linder served as a melamed at the Boyaner Talmud Torah in Yerushalayim, where talmidim passed under his guidance and were shaped by his dedication and warmth.

He was among the most respected members of the Eidah Yerushalayim–Masmidim kehilla.

In later years, he resided for an extended period in the Nachalah u’Menuchah neighborhood of Beit Shemesh. In recent months, he moved to Beitar Illit to live close to his children.

He leaves behind twelve children and many grandchildren.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Bris milah could be treated as a potential form of child abuse under proposed new guidance for prosecutors in Britain, following mounting concern from judges and coroners about deaths and severe injuries linked to the procedure.

In a draft framework prepared by Britian’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) addressing “honour-based abuse, forced marriages, and harmful practices,” circumcision is listed among practices that could amount to criminal conduct, The Guardian reports.

The language used in the draft, which was reviewed by the Guardian, has caused alarm within religious communities, with Jewish and Muslim leaders pushing back strongly and stressing the long-standing religious and cultural significance of circumcision.

According to the draft CPS guidance, male circumcision differs from female genital mutilation in that “there is not a specific criminal offence of carrying out male circumcision.”

The document goes on to caution: “However, this can be a painful and harmful practice, if carried out incorrectly or in inappropriate circumstances. It may be a form of child abuse or an offence against the person.”

Concerns over regulation intensified last month after a coroner warned that there are inadequate controls governing who is permitted to carry out circumcisions, following the death of a six-month-old boy, Mohamed Abdisamad, who died from a streptococcus infection in 2023.

That case mirrored earlier findings by another coroner relating to the death of Oliver Asante-Yeboah, who died in 2014 after developing sepsis following a circumcision carried out by a rabbi.

Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that since 2001, circumcision has been identified as a contributing factor in seven deaths of boys under the age of 18. In at least three cases, infants died after suffering catastrophic blood loss: Celian Noumbiwe in 2007, Goodluck Caubergs in 2010, and Angelo Ofori-Mintah in 2012.

Jonathan Arkush, a former president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and co-chair of Milah UK, an organization that advocates for the Jewish community’s right to perform religious circumcision, said the draft CPS wording gives a distorted picture.

“To suggest that circumcision is in itself a harmful practice, is deeply pejorative and misplaced,” he said. “Any procedure that is carried out inappropriately or without proper controls, including piercing a child’s ears, could be a harmful practice and a possible case of child abuse.”

He added: “We shall certainly be talking to the CPS. I would very much expect that final draft not to include it, as it is so obviously incorrect and/or misleading.”

Arkush, who practices as a barrister, acknowledged that a circumcision performed improperly could amount to abuse, but emphasized that the Jewish community operates under what he described as rigorous safeguards designed to prevent such outcomes.

“The incidence of complications in circumcision performed in the Jewish community is vanishingly rare,” he said. “Circumcision is a core part of our identity. I have never met any Jewish man who thinks they’ve been harmed by circumcision.”

The Muslim Council of Britain echoed the call for stronger oversight while rejecting the notion that circumcision itself should be treated as abusive.

“Male circumcision is a lawful practice in the UK with recognised medical, religious and cultural foundations, and it should not be characterised in itself as child abuse,” the council said.

“However, where procedures are carried out irresponsibly, without proper safeguards, and cause harm, they may rightly fall within the scope of criminal law. The lack of consistent regulation elsewhere creates unacceptable risks, and addressing those risks to protect young boys should be an urgent priority.”

{Matzav.com}

The body responsible for administering the Nobel Peace Prize dismissed speculation that Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado could pass along or share her prize with President Donald Trump.

The Norwegian Nobel Institute addressed the matter on Friday, responding to comments Machado made earlier in the week suggesting she might hand over the award to Trump.

“Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others,” the institute said in a statement. “The decision is final and stands for all time.”

The clarification followed remarks Machado made during a Tuesday interview on Fox News’ “Hannity,” where the topic of the prize was raised.

“Did you at any point offer to give him the Nobel Peace Prize?” Sean Hannity asked. “Did that actually happen?”

Machado replied, “Well, it hasn’t happened yet.”

“I certainly would love to be able to personally tell him that we believe — the Venezuelan people, because this is a prize of the Venezuelan people — certainly want to give it to him and share it with him,” she added. “What he has done is historic. It’s a huge step towards a democratic transition.”

Earlier this month, on Jan. 3, Trump announced that the United States had carried out an operation resulting in the capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, who is now facing drug trafficking charges in New York.

Trump was later asked on Thursday’s episode of “Hannity” whether he would accept the Nobel Peace Prize if Machado attempted to bestow it upon him.

“I’ve heard that she wants to do that,” Trump said. “That would be a great honor.”

Machado reportedly fled Venezuela in secret last month and traveled to Norway to accept the Nobel Peace Prize, which she publicly dedicated to Trump.

“Let me be very clear. As soon as I learned that we had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, I dedicated it to President Trump because I believed at that point that he deserved it,” Machado said during her appearance on “Hannity.” “And a lot of people, most people, said it was impossible to achieve what he has just done on Saturday, January 3rd.”

Trump has said he intends to meet with Machado in Washington next week.

In the past, however, Trump has questioned Machado’s standing inside Venezuela, saying she “doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country” to govern. He has instead backed Delcy Rodríguez, an acting president aligned with Maduro who previously served as his vice president.

{Matzav.com}

Top New York officials spoke out after footage emerged of demonstrators chanting “we support Hamas” during a protest held in a heavily Jewish area of Queens, prompting condemnation from across the political spectrum.

The video shows protesters carrying Palestinian flags and chanting slogans expressing support for Hamas, a group officially designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization.

The footage spread rapidly online, triggering immediate responses from city, state, and federal leaders who denounced both the message and the setting of the demonstration.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez publicly rebuked the demonstrators, focusing on the antisemitic nature of the chants and the decision to march in that specific neighborhood.

“Hey so marching into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and leading with a chant saying ‘we support Hamas’ is a disgusting and antisemitic thing to do,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. “Pretty basic!”

Gov. Kathy Hochul also circulated the video and issued a sharp condemnation of the rhetoric heard at the protest.

“Hamas is a terrorist organization that calls for the genocide of Jews,” Hochul wrote. “No matter your political beliefs, this type of rhetoric is disgusting, it’s dangerous, and it has no place in New York.”

Video from the event shows demonstrators chanting together while holding Palestinian flags, with several voices audibly expressing support for Hamas.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the controversy later in the day, stressing that public safety would be protected while also emphasizing constitutional protections for protest activity.

“As I said earlier today, chants in support of a terrorist organization have no place in our city,” Mamdani wrote. “We will continue to ensure New Yorkers’ safety entering and exiting houses of worship as well as the constitutional right to protest.”

Mamdani’s comments followed earlier scrutiny of his remarks in an October appearance on Fox News’ The Story, during which he declined to directly condemn Hamas and instead shifted the discussion toward cost-of-living issues facing New Yorkers.

Hamas is formally listed by the United States as a terrorist organization, and federal law bars providing material support to groups on that list.

New York Attorney General Letitia James also responded on social media with a brief but direct statement rejecting the chants.

“Hamas is a terrorist organization. We do not support terrorists. Period.”

The episode unfolded amid continued nationwide unrest connected to demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas war, which intensified following the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.

{Matzav.com}

Sources familiar with developments inside Iran told Iran International that security forces have escalated their response to demonstrations, firing live ammunition at crowds in multiple regions as authorities enforce an almost complete shutdown of internet access. Preliminary information points to extraordinarily high casualties as the suppression effort expands nationwide.

Video material transmitted from Kahrizak depicts rows of bodies sealed in black bags. Individuals who filmed the scenes said dozens of corpses were visible there, with further remains reportedly stored inside a nearby industrial warehouse.

Separate recordings circulating earlier from Fardis, Karaj, and Alghadir Hospital showed bodies lying in open areas, suggesting that large-scale killings are occurring simultaneously in different parts of the country rather than in isolated pockets.

The communications blackout that began on January 8 has severely limited independent verification. Even so, the steady flow of consistent accounts reaching Iran International has reinforced assessments that lethal force is being used broadly to break up protests.

Based on figures cited by the outlet, even cautious calculations suggest that no fewer than 2,000 people have been killed over the last two days.

Those providing information described especially severe clashes in Fardis and sections of Tehran, while emphasizing that similar reports are coming in from numerous other locations, including the western provinces of Ilam and Kermanshah.

Although the blackout is nearly total, reporters said they continue to receive video clips and messages through limited pathways such as Starlink connections. Access to those channels is largely confined to wealthier districts and major cities, leaving large swaths of the country unseen. Despite that gap, journalists say there are reliable signs that demonstrations are persisting across Iran.

One video released overnight showed demonstrators in Tehran’s Poonak neighborhood torching a branch of Bank Melli.

Another clip captured crowds flooding the streets of Ahvaz, chanting “Long Live the Shah.”

Abroad, a protester scaled the balcony of the Iranian Embassy during a demonstration outside the mission, according to BBC. Police detained two individuals at the scene and continued to search for another suspect on trespassing allegations.

In Washington, US Senator Lindsey Graham, an ally of US President Donald Trump, issued a message of support to those protesting in Iran, pledging assistance and predicting an end to their suffering.

“TO THE IRANIAN PEOPLE: your long nightmare is soon coming to a close,” Graham wrote in a social media post. “Your bravery and determination to end your oppression has been noticed by @POTUS and all who love freedom.”

“When President Trump says Make Iran Great Again, it means the protestors in Iran must prevail over the ayatollah. That is the clearest signal yet that he, President Trump understands Iran will never be great with the ayatollah and his henchmen in charge.

“To all who are sacrificing in Iran, God bless. Help is on the way.”

Trump echoed that sentiment on Truth Social, writing, “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!”

{Matzav.com}

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A frum man was attacked late Friday night in Williamsburg, leaving him with injuries around his eye.

The assault took place at about 11:20 p.m., and the attacker reportedly hurled antisemitic slurs as the incident unfolded.

Officers from the NYPD’s 79th Precinct, along with members of the Shomrim Shabbos Patrol, arrived quickly at the scene. Police arrested a 35-year-old woman in connection with the attack, and she has been charged with assault and aggravated harassment.

Authorities said the confrontation happened on Willoughby Avenue near Nostrand Avenue. According to reports, the suspect followed the victim for several blocks, verbally abusing him with antisemitic remarks and making threats. At the time, the victim—who is a member of Shomrim—was walking together with his wife and children.

The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force has taken over the investigation. Hatzolah responded and provided medical care to the victim at the scene.

{Matzav.com}

Facing criticism over cleanliness and quality-of-life issues, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Saturday announced a new initiative aimed at expanding access to public restrooms across the city, targeting residents he described as being in moments of real need.

Standing alongside City Council Speaker Julie Menin in West Harlem, Mamdani revealed a $4 million pilot program that would introduce as many as 30 modular, self-cleaning public bathrooms throughout New York City.

“Too many of our fellow New Yorkers feel a desperation too often in their lives … Suddenly, you feel it. You have to go to the bathroom,” Mamdani said.

He continued by arguing that access to basic facilities should not come at a premium. “In a city that has everything, the one thing that is often impossible to find is a public bathroom. 
In the greatest city in the world, you should not have to spend $9 to buy a coffee just to be able to find a little relief,” he added.

According to Mamdani, the city plans to begin requesting proposals from vendors within the next three months, with the goal of installing between 20 and 30 new restrooms. One of those units would be placed at the corner of 12th Avenue and St. Clair Place, where an existing public toilet has sat unused for years, he said.

City officials did not specify where the remaining bathrooms would be located, how frequently they would be open, or what standards would be used to determine which neighborhoods receive them.

Still, the mayor suggested the program could offer a meaningful alternative to streets, sidewalks, and subway stations, which have increasingly become makeshift restrooms, particularly as the city’s homeless population grows.

The planned units would clean themselves automatically, limit use to 15 minutes per person, and be serviced by maintenance crews twice daily.

New York City currently has roughly 1,100 public restrooms for its 8.6 million residents. Last year, the City Council adopted a long-term target of adding 2,100 additional bathrooms by 2035.

Mamdani said the high cost of traditional restroom construction—often exceeding $1 million per facility—has historically “prohibited” large-scale expansion. He argued that the modular units sought through the city’s request for proposals would come in at “far less than what we’ve come to expect in the city.”

Menin echoed the mayor’s frustration, calling the shortage of public bathrooms “shameful” and recounting her own experiences as a parent in Manhattan.

“When they got to go, they got to go, and you don’t have a lot of time to find a bathroom,” she said.

{Matzav.com}