Matzav

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu took part Tuesday evening in a Torah dedication ceremony held in memory of Dr. Moshe Yedidya Leitner, a reservist major and platoon commander in the elite Shaldag unit. Dr. Leitner, the son of Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leitner, was killed in battle in the Gaza Strip.

Family members, friends, and community participants gathered for the writing of the final letters in the Sefer Torah. Netanyahu was invited to write one of the last letters in honor of the fallen officer.

He spoke about the profound grief surrounding Dr. Leitner’s passing. “This is a very emotional moment. I remember visiting you during the shiva. It was heartbreaking. When I learned of Moshe’s death, it shook me to my core. He was a symbol and example of an Israeli, a Jew, who fought for our existence and sacrificed his life for the eternity of Israel, and he also worked tirelessly through the ‘Kudkod’ program to ensure that all of us would join this sacred mission,” he told the family.

The prime minister praised the family’s resilience. “I witnessed the strength of spirit in your home — in the mother, the father, and the siblings. And in you, Yechiel, who now carries the responsibility of representing Israel on one of the world’s most important diplomatic stages, where you present the justice of our cause, our right to this land, our heritage, and our belief in our ultimate victory.”

Reflecting on the broader national struggle, Netanyahu continued: “Over the past two years, we have done much to secure our existence in this land. We confronted Iran’s terror network on all fronts, and we are not finished. Today we faced yet another Palestinian terror attack, and we remain determined to complete the war on every front, including dismantling Hamas’s weaponry and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip so it never again poses a greater threat.”

He stressed that Israel’s most notable triumph is its spirit. “But I believe the greatest victory — the one that surprised the entire world — is the victory of spirit. That spirit is expressed so powerfully in the story of Moshe Leitner’s sacrifice and character, which stands as an example to all of Israel and, I can tell you, to many of Israel’s friends around the world.”

Netanyahu concluded with thanks for being included. “It is a tremendous privilege to be here at this Torah dedication in his name, and I want to bless each and every one of you who is involved in this sacred work of honoring his memory and continuing his mission. May you be blessed.”

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{Matzav.com}

During his packed trip to Israel, outgoing New York Mayor Eric Adams sat down with Arutz Sheva–Israel National News and delivered a forceful message about why he felt compelled to come. He said his presence carried a purpose: “It’s so important to be here, to send a very loud and clear message that Israel is still very much an ally of America and an ally of New York City. And as the outgoing mayor, I wanted to come here and send that clear message. We believe that Israel’s tech startups have helped the lives of New Yorkers—not only by making life easier in cities, but also through major health discoveries that have actually saved lives. We want that partnership to continue, and that’s the conversation I’m going to have with the governmental leaders.”

Adams noted that the rhetoric coming from the incoming administration deeply troubled him. He pointed to proposals calling for “divestments in Israel, not taking Israel investment into our pension funds,” a move he said ran counter to reality. “Mind you, those investments are doing very well for our pension funds,” he emphasized.

He voiced further alarm over efforts being floated to weaken the city’s tools to fight hatred. “It’s troubling to hear about the dismantling of the IHRA definition of antisemitism,” Adams said, noting he was also disturbed by “the thoughts of removing our office to combat antisemitism, all of the things we put in place to go after the steady increase in antisemitism in our city. We started to see and notice a decline because of what we have done. So to dismantle those initiatives is moving us in the wrong direction.”

Turning to incoming mayor Zohran Mamdani, Adams criticized statements signaling hostility toward Israel. “I think that when you talk about not doing business with Israel, not willing to acknowledge that you’re going to march in an Israel Day Parade, not being willing to state you’re going to come and visit Israel and other countries—it sends a wrong message.”

He tied that message to the extreme elements of the city’s political fringe. “I know those who are part of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA),” Adams said. “And those who marched in our streets saying horrific things; that is a clear sign of antisemitism to me. When you look at some of the signs, some of the Nazi stickers, when you talk about ‘from the river to the sea,’ these are all code words and buzzwords that are indicators of antisemitism. And we have to be honest about what’s in front of us.”

Adams said his stance was consistent across all communities. “I stood up against racism. I stood up against hate against our Chinese community and Asian violence, and I’m going to continue to stand up for the people of the city of New York.”

Responding to growing anxiety among Jews in the city, Adams urged them to remain rooted. “I don’t think they should. I think that we should stand our ground and fight for our right to exist. New York City has the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, and they have contributed so much to the city in arts and science and public protection and innovation. They should remain, but they should have situational awareness.”

He added that the sheer volume of hatred in public discourse requires vigilance: “There are far too many people out there who are spewing hate, and they have actually contributed to the antisemitic sentiment that’s out there. There are far too many, and they should have situational awareness, as I would tell anyone if I believe that there’s a high level of hate pointed toward them.”

Reflecting on his administration, Adams highlighted the groundwork he believes must not be undone. “Because of the implementation of some of the things that we have done around the IRA definition, around combating antisemitism, putting the first Jewish advisory council in place, and just visiting synagogues and interacting with our Jewish brothers and sisters and others, in our ‘Breaking Bread, Building Bonds’ initiative, we were proactive and reactive. We also sent a loud message to the police department that we will investigate every act of hate in general, but specifically antisemitism. You saw that we started to see the numbers move in the right direction, seeing a decrease in antisemitism. We need to continue that. That’s why it’s important as we hand off the baton to the next administration. They must be as aggressive as we have been around this topic.”

Even so, he acknowledged the fear gripping the community. “We’re seeing what’s playing out across the globe, and if Jews don’t feel safe in Israel and don’t feel safe in a city with the largest Jewish population, then how could we state that they don’t have a concern of being fearful? And I understand their fear. I would have that same fear.”

Still, his visit left him energized about what lies ahead. “I’m really excited about being here and seeing what innovations we could continue to share with New Yorkers. We saw some amazing innovations yesterday as we visited several companies, and I’m going to encourage the next administration to look at some of these innovations and to encourage them to partner with the tech startups. I started that at the beginning of my administration. It has been a successful collaboration. We need to continue to do so, and we must allow Israel to continue to invest our pension funds because that helps working-class people.”

As he prepares to leave office, Adams said he is looking forward to pursuing long-delayed personal goals. “I’m excited. You know, many people know I want to write my book. I want to also go back to school to get my PhD, and I have a few business interests that I’m going to be announcing in the upcoming weeks.”

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{Matzav.com}

A man from Grand Rapids who happens to share the same name as Vice President JD Vance has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after admitting he issued violent threats toward the vice president, President Trump, Elon Musk, and Donald Trump Jr.

Prosecutors said that James Donald “JD” Vance Jr., 67, used the alias “Diaperjdv” while posting a series of alarming messages on the BlueSky platform. The US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan said he acknowledged in court that his posts targeted national leaders with explicit threats.

Investigators highlighted a message he posted on April 1, one that prompted immediate federal attention. “If tRump, Vance, or Musk ever come to my city again, they will leave it in a body bag,” he allegedly wrote. The same post included his fatalistic comment: “I will either be shot by a secret service sniper or spend the rest of my life in prison. I’ve only got about 10 years of life left anyway so I don’t … care either way.”

Authorities said his threats were not limited to those figures. On March 7, he posted about Donald Trump Jr. in response to an article titled “Donald Trump Jr. Considering a Run for President in 2028.” In that message, Vance declared, “I will murder that stupid f—ker before he gets secret service protection,” according to federal agents.

The Michigan resident ultimately pleaded guilty to two felony charges: threatening to kill or harm the president and vice president, and transmitting interstate threats. Officials said those admissions left no doubt about the seriousness of the case.

United States Attorney Timothy VerHey condemned Vance’s conduct, noting that online threats of this nature strike at the core of democratic safety. VerHey said such behavior creates “fear and damages our democratic ideals.” In his statement, he added, “When Vance said he planned to kill our President and the Vice President simply because he disagreed with them, he crossed a line we all understand and so had to be punished.”

Authorities clarified that the defendant has no connection to the actual vice president. The VP was born as James Donald Bowman before legally changing his name to James David Vance.

The Secret Service’s Grand Rapids office has been dealing with a surge of similar cases. Officials noted this was the second such federal prosecution in recent weeks.

Just last month, prosecutors secured an 18-month prison sentence for Richard James Spring of Comstock Park. Court documents show Spring threatened online to sexually assault a woman in front of President Trump and then kill him. Investigators said he also posted menacing messages on TikTok, including, “You’re going to watch your god DIE.”

Secret Service officials said the agency treats these threats with maximum seriousness. William Shink, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office, issued a pointed warning: “Threats against our nation’s leaders and their families will not be tolerated.” He continued, “Individuals who threaten the President, Vice President or any U.S. Secret Service protectee will be investigated and held accountable for their actions.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman take questions from reporters as they work to negotiate terms for the Abraham Accords, F-35 fighter jets and more.

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{Matzav.com}

Speaking at an event in Toronto, Rav Yaakov Bender, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway, NY, delivered a sharp warning about the growing culture of alcohol consumption in frum communities, singling out Friday afternoon toameha gatherings as a dangerous and destructive trend.

Rav Bender opened his remarks with a stark assessment. “The drinking is a shrecklich problem. It’s a terrible, terrible problem. I blame the parents for that. I really do. Very heavily.”

He then shared a tragic example to underscore the consequences. “There was a boy that, I’ll explain to you, a boy was in a car accident, Rachmana litzlan, and he killed somebody, in one of our prominent communities, and he’s looking at jail time of a very, very, very long time. You know where he got it from?”

According to Rav Bender, the boy’s first exposure to drinking came through a toameha group. “He went to a Toameha, I think, in a very chashuva city. Toameha should be stopped.”

Rav Bender then described the gatherings bluntly. “Those who don’t know, Toameha means you get together, seven, eight men get together, and they drink, they buy very fancy— not the women, they’re wonderful. Erev Shabbos, when a wife should be going home to his wife, helping her out, unless the wife doesn’t want you home, you know— helping her out and doing what you got to do, they go to a party, AND they call it Toameha.”

With biting irony, he added: “It’s a mitzva d’oraisa. And they eat kugel and they fress cakes and zachen, and they drink to their hearts content.”

Rav Bender said the fallout reaches the home. “I have mothers who have told me, again, not many, but [some] have told me that the husband comes drunk to the Friday night, to the Friday night Shabbos table. And Toameha is a mitzva? You got to ban it.”

He urged communities to take action. “If you find out that there’s a Toameha in your neighborhood, go and protest against the family. Put up signs. The kids are going to kill a kid afterwards.”

Parents, he said, often complain about their children drinking, without acknowledging the source. “They come to me complaining about, my kid is drinking. I said, Daddy, do you drink? And Daddy says — that means you’re drinking.”

Rav Bender broadened the critique to communal norms. “We have a society, why do we have Kiddush clubs? Kiddush clubs is bad because in the middle of davening. Why should we serve anything at a Kiddush on Shabbos? Why? You want to give beer by a Shalom Zachar? …We have made a society where drinking is chashuv.”

He expressed astonishment at the luxury liquor culture that has become common. “I don’t believe it. I haven’t gone into a liquor store maybe 30, 40 years. I haven’t ever went in also. There’s bottles today that sell for five to ten thousand dollars, and people are buying it.”

He described the status culture surrounding these bottles as hollow. “The gadlus by a Toameha club is the guy who knows he could tell the difference between a $10,000 bottle and a $5,000 bottle. I don’t believe him for a second. He thinks he can tell the difference. And we glorify these things.”

Rav Bender then made a bold proposal. “There should be no kiddushim in shuls, I’m sorry. You’re very quiet. I liked it better when we talked about the kids. So I’m telling you the kids are seeing this.”

He insisted the drinking problem among teenagers is learned behavior. “I’m telling you right now, the kids by us in yeshiva who drink, let’s say on a Friday night sometimes, there are a few, right? On a Friday night or during the Shabbos and they put them together, they’re getting it from home. They’re seeing it by their parents.”

The problem then spreads socially. “Then other kids do it, other kids see it, they also become, yeah, it spreads from kid to kid. I blame the parents.”

Rav Bender emphasized that his criticism was not directed at the host community. “I’m not talking about this shul right now. I think you don’t know, you don’t know me, you do know what you have over here. You have a posek acharon. You have someone I hope should become the posek acharon in this town for all yeshivas. He should be that. Don’t let him get away with it. He should be doing it.”

He then added, “We glorify drinking. I blame it on the parents, I’m sorry.”

Rav Bender described the calls he receives. “Am I wrong? The kids who drink, I have parents who call me, my kid is drinking.”

Often, he said, the problem begins at home. “The mother calls me and her husband gets shikker every week. I can’t tell it to the wife, you know why? I’m causing shalom bayis problems. I’m sure the wife is already screaming at the husband already. That’s why he’s drinking, because she’s screaming at him.”

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{Matzav.com}

The Agudah National Action Summit: Turning Ideas into Action

Join us for two days of meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and impact. Professionals and leaders come together to learn, connect, and take action on Klal Yisroel’s most pressing challenges.

Featuring a slate of distinct professional and communal specialized tracks, the Summit ensures that every participant can gain relevant insights tailored to their area of influence. Tracks will include:

• Rabbanim & Morei Derech
• Emerging Communities
• Special Needs Professionals
• Mental Health Professionals
• Shadchanim
• Kallah Teachers
• Legal Professionals
• Women in Leadership

Click here or see below to view the speaker lineup.

December 1-2

Marriott, Newark Airport

Register at https://www.agudahaction.com/

For more information email actionsummit@agudah.org, or call 212-363-8941.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Otzma Yehudit set off intense debate on Tuesday after sharing the outline of its proposed death penalty legislation for terrorists in the National Security Committee’s WhatsApp group. The circulated draft lays out the party’s vision in stark, uncompromising terms.

The document explains that the penalty would be applied solely in cases where a Jew is murdered because they are Jewish. It mandates that a simple majority be sufficient to impose the sentence, that no appeal be permitted, and that lethal injection be the method of execution. The responsibility for carrying out the penalty would fall to the Prison Service, and the execution would have to occur within 90 days.

Interestingly, the plan has not only gained traction among coalition partners but has also found backing from Yisrael Beiteinu, broadening its political reach.

According to the draft, the measure is framed as a deterrent “that looks to the future based on past (negative) experience,” insisting that such a law must be practical and fully enforceable, not merely a declarative statement.

As written, anyone who murders a Jew for being Jewish — whether by orchestrating, attempting, or committing the act — would automatically be sentenced to death. The legislation would remove judicial discretion entirely, prohibit appeals regarding the nature of the punishment, and bar plea agreements or pardons, consistent with existing legal limitations. To eliminate procedural delays, the proposal requires that executions take place within 90 days of a verdict becoming final. Lethal injection would be codified as the official method, with statutory adjustments to accommodate it.

Nonetheless, legal analysts warn that the bill, if advanced in its current structure, would likely encounter serious constitutional and procedural hurdles in the High Court, raising doubts about its ultimate viability.

{Matzav.com}

No GOP senator stepped in to derail a procedural move that would have forced an immediate vote on compelling the release of Jeffrey Epstein–related files.

Within hours of the House’s overwhelming approval of the resolution, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., followed through on his promise to push it forward, bringing the matter to the Senate floor.

Schumer insisted there was no reason for the chamber to stall, declaring that the Senate “should pass this bill as soon as possible, as written and without a hint of delay.”

He warned Republicans not to meddle with the language, saying, “Republicans must not try to change this bill or bury it in committee, or slow walk it in any way. Any amendment to this bill would force it back to the House and risk further delay. Who knows what would happen over there?”

Once the House formally sends the measure across the Capitol, it will head directly to President Donald Trump for his signature.

The resolution, authored by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., mandates that the Department of Justice publish every unclassified file, memo, communication, and investigatory document connected to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days of enactment, making them “publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format.”

Unlike the House — where the push for disclosure upended schedules and even triggered a temporary recess earlier this year under House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. — the Senate has been far less volatile as the issue has moved forward.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., noted that Republicans were already evaluating the bill through the hotline process, the internal mechanism for vetting legislation before it reaches the floor. If it passed that stage, he said, the expectation was to bring it forward before lawmakers adjourn for the Thanksgiving break.

“We’ll see what the Democrats have to say,” Thune remarked. “But it’s the kind of thing, probably, that could perhaps move by unanimous consent.”

In the end, the measure advanced without needing a roll-call vote.

The landscape shifted considerably once President Donald Trump — who had spent months blasting efforts to force open the Epstein archives — unexpectedly embraced the Massie-Khanna proposal over the weekend.

He condemned the push as a “Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party.”

He added on Truth Social, “Nobody cared about Jeffrey Epstein when he was alive and, if the Democrats had anything, they would have released it before our Landslide Election Victory.”

Many Senate Republicans have long said they are open to making more information public but stress that victims must not be exposed in the process. House Speaker Johnson has urged lawmakers to add protections ensuring that identifying details remain shielded.

But Senate leadership signaled that such revisions are unlikely.

“I think when a bill comes out of the House 427 to one, and the president said he’d sign it, I’m not sure that amending it is in the cards,” Thune said.

Israeli airstrikes hit a Hamas training compound in the Ein al-Hilweh refugee camp near Sidon on Tuesday evening, in what Lebanese outlets described as an unusually deep strike into the area. Minutes after the initial reports surfaced, the IDF confirmed that its aircraft had targeted terrorists operating at the site.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry announced that fifteen people were killed and many more wounded. Hamas, however, issued a denial, claiming in an official statement that “it was a soccer field where children were playing at the time of the strike.”

Lebanese media reported heavy Hamas security around the area inside the Ein al-Hilweh camp following the attack, as operatives worked to keep civilians away. One unverified report from Lebanon said more than twenty individuals were inside the targeted building and that the facility had been used for gatherings of senior Hamas figures.

According to additional Lebanese media coverage, the strike was aimed at a group that had just exited the Khaled Ibn al-Walid Mosque in the camp and was preparing to board vehicles parked nearby when the attack occurred.

In its formal statement, the IDF said the Air Force had struck terrorists operating “in a military compound used by the terror organization’s operatives for training and instruction to plan and execute terror routes against IDF forces and the State of Israel.” The spokesman added that precautionary steps were taken ahead of the strike “to reduce the chance of harming civilians, including the use of precision munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence.”

The IDF stressed that it is acting consistently against Hamas’s foothold in Lebanon and “will continue to act forcefully against terrorists of the Hamas terror organization wherever they operate.”

Military correspondents in Israel added further context. Yossi Yehoshua reported that dozens of Hamas members—mostly lower-level operatives—had gathered at the compound and were involved in preparations for future terror attacks. Intelligence assessments indicated that the site served as a coordination hub for local Hamas cells in Lebanon.

Journalist Itay Blumental noted that the IDF had been planning to strike the compound for some time, but only on Tuesday did the operational conditions align. Once surveillance confirmed the presence of numerous terrorists, a fighter jet carried out the strike. According to early assessments, those killed were relatively low-ranking operatives.

This was the fourth Israeli strike in Lebanon on Tuesday. Around 16:50, Lebanese media reported a drone strike in the village of Blida in the south. Earlier, at about 10:00, another UAV strike was reported on a vehicle in Bint Jbeil. In the morning hours, a drone reportedly targeted an excavator in Blida as well, marking a full day of ongoing military activity in southern Lebanon.

{Matzav.com}

In a landmark moment for Orthodox Jewish representation in American politics, Michelle Weiss clinched the mayoralty of University Heights, Ohio, setting a national first as an orthodox Jewish woman elected to lead a U.S. municipality.

Weiss, who has spent years cultivating a reputation as a pragmatic Republican voice in a predominantly Democratic suburb of Cleveland, centered her bid on cooperation over partisanship. Her message of unity, coupled with her long record of public service, helped her secure the community’s confidence.

With 15 years on the city council and six more as deputy mayor, Weiss entered the race as a familiar and steady presence in local government. Her election stands out not only for its political significance but for breaking new ground—no other orthodox Jewish woman is known to have held a comparable mayoral role in the United States.

At the outset of her campaign, she spoke of her deep bond with the city. “I love University Heights – my husband and I raised our children here and now watch our grandchildren grow,” she said. “I feel a debt of gratitude to the city and a commitment to make a difference.”

Her platform highlighted her reputation as someone ready to “reach across the aisle” to build consensus. Throughout the campaign, she emphasized strengthening infrastructure, promoting commercial growth, and safeguarding the needs of longtime residents. Weiss is scheduled to take office on January 1, 2026.

{Matzav.com}

Speaking to attendees at the Tikva Jewish Leadership Conference, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz offered a rare glimpse into the strategic thinking guiding Washington’s expectations for how the Gaza conflict must ultimately conclude, Channel 12 News reported.

Waltz described the administration’s view of the crossroads bluntly. “Here are the choices: it was either Hamas, or it was the IDF in perpetuity (in the Gaza Strip). And if it was the IDF in perpetuity, then frankly I don’t think we had a way of expanding the Abraham Accords, which is the number one objective of this administration.”

His comments underscored a central tension in US policy: while Hamas remaining in control of Gaza is wholly unacceptable, the White House is equally unwilling to endorse a long-term Israeli military and civil presence there. A sustained IDF role, he stressed, would directly interfere with the administration’s diplomatic ambitions—particularly its push to broaden the Abraham Accords.

Waltz went on to credit the architects of the original regional breakthroughs, saying, “You don’t get that unless you have President Trump, his team – Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and Marco Rubio and people in there fighting the good fight,” pointing to the individuals he believes laid the groundwork for any further regional realignments.

{Matzav.com}

A Brooklyn court case that has shaken an entire community took another dramatic turn when Miriam Yarimi accepted a plea agreement that sharply reduced her potential prison time. Judge Danny Chen approved the deal, granting a sentence of three to nine years after Yarimi pleaded guilty to manslaughter, according to court filings.

Prosecutors, who had pressed for a far steeper penalty, are preparing a detailed submission ahead of her Wednesday sentencing. They intend to outline why they believe Yarimi’s punishment should be closer to the 15-year maximum they originally requested.

The tragedy unfolded in March, when Yarimi’s Audi A4 hurtled down Ocean Parkway and smashed into an Uber before spiraling toward Natasha Saada and her four young children. Two of the children, Diana, 7, and Deborah, 5, were killed instantly, while 4-year-old Philip suffered devastating injuries.

“The lives of Natasha Saada and her young daughters were stolen by the callous choices of a chronically reckless driver on Ocean Parkway,” said Eric Gonzalez, district attorney for Brooklyn. “Though the proposed sentence falls short of the maximum we sought, it will still send a clear message that reckless driving that ends in tragedy will be met with serious penalties.”

The wreck rattled south Brooklyn’s Jewish community, where residents had long voiced fears about speeding along Ocean Parkway but say this disaster underscored how quickly disaster can strike.

Yarimi, known for her work as a wigmaker and even advertising it with the vanity plate “WIGM8KER,” had no valid license at the time of the crash. She had amassed an astonishing 93 traffic violations, among them 20 speeding offenses that together brought more than $10,000 in fines, records indicate.

Her behavior in the moments after the collision added another disturbing layer. First responders reported that Yarimi made erratic and alarming remarks, insisting she was “possessed” and “had the devil in me,” according to sources. A criminal complaint states she told officers, “The devil’s in my eyes. I’m haunted inside. I didn’t kill anyone. I didn’t hurt anyone. Prove it. Show me proof.”

{Matzav.com}

The office of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas issued a fierce denunciation on Monday night, insisting that Israel bear full accountability for what it characterized as a direct provocation by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. The uproar followed Ben-Gvir’s declaration that Abbas should be arrested and that senior PA figures should be assassinated if the United Nations advances recognition of a Palestinian state.

In its announcement, the PA leadership said it viewed Ben-Gvir’s remarks as nothing less than an open call to harm Abbas and other senior officials. The statement blasted what it described as “dangerous incitement” and argued that such rhetoric fuels violence, emboldens would-be attackers, and encourages Israeli civilians to target Palestinian Arabs, their communities, and their sacred sites.

The PA Chairman’s Office urged Washington and the broader international community to intervene, asserting that global pressure is needed to halt what it labeled a reckless escalation from the Israeli government. According to the statement, this kind of language only ratchets up instability, fans hostility on the ground, and drags the region further from any realistic attempt to restore negotiations.

Ben-Gvir ignited the controversy during the opening of his Otzma Yehudit faction meeting on Monday, where he took aim at a UN Security Council proposal that includes the phrase “a path to a Palestinian state.” He claimed the concept keeps resurfacing in different formats and is once again being pushed forward.

Linking diplomatic advocates of statehood to terrorism, Ben-Gvir argued that those promoting such political moves are the very same players who support violence. He dismissed the notion of Palestinian nationhood as a project for a “fabricated people,” asserting that its champions hope to erect it “upon the ruins of the State of Israel.” He also tied the idea to the October 7th attackers, accused its supporters of paying stipends to terrorists, and claimed that those who deny the Holocaust share the same objective of establishing a Palestinian state.

Ben-Gvir then pressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take decisive steps against the Palestinian Authority. He declared that Abbas “and his terrorist associates” should not be shielded from consequences. If the UN proceeds with recognition, Ben-Gvir insisted Israel must respond with targeted action against top PA leaders and order Abbas’ arrest, suggesting that a prison cell in Ktzi’ot Prison is already waiting for him.

{Matzav.com}

Saudi Arabia’s leadership signaled a massive expansion of its financial footprint in the United States, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman telling President Donald Trump that the kingdom will boost its expected investments from $600 billion to about $1 trillion. The dramatic increase reflects strong confidence in the direction of the U.S. economy and Trump’s aggressive focus on economic growth.

Their conversation at the White House on Tuesday began with Trump applauding the already-announced $600 billion commitment. But he wasted no time in urging the crown prince to go even further. “Because he’s my friend, he might make it a trillion, but I’m gonna have to work on him,” Trump said.

Mohammed bin Salman did not hesitate to meet the challenge. He told Trump that Saudi Arabia would raise its investment target to $1 trillion, a pledge he then restated publicly. According to Al Jazeera, the crown prince affirmed that the previously unveiled $600 billion plan “will increase to $1 trillion.”

Trump, prodding him to confirm the leap, asked: “You’re telling me now the $600 billion will be $1 trillion?” The crown prince answered plainly: “Definitely.”

Al Jazeera also highlighted a social-media message quoting the crown prince: “We will announce an increase in our investments in the United States to reach approximately one trillion dollars.”

The original initiative called for hundreds of billions to flow into American energy ventures, infrastructure projects, security cooperation, and technology partnerships over a four-year span. Some of that funding is already translating into major agreements—from multibillion-dollar weapons purchases to advanced AI-related deals as Saudi-aligned firms partner with chipmakers and cloud providers to construct data centers and artificial-intelligence hubs.

The exchange underscored Trump’s signature approach to global diplomacy, one that pairs political alliances with demands for tangible economic rewards inside the United States.

Saudi advisers have maintained that the enormous spending reflects their confidence in Trump’s tax and regulatory reforms, predicting they will unlock substantial opportunities for both the kingdom’s sovereign wealth entities and private-sector investors.

For the crown prince, the move fits neatly into his Vision 2030 blueprint, which seeks to broaden Saudi Arabia’s economic base beyond oil. Yet the bulk of this expanded investment is expected to pour into U.S. production facilities, energy infrastructure, construction, and frontier technology.

Uncertainties remain about the timeline for deploying a full trillion dollars and about how much of the total will come from public versus private Saudi sources.

Still, the understanding forged between Trump and Mohammed bin Salman points to a potentially transformative chapter in the relationship between Washington and Riyadh.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi is pressing ahead with his broad restructuring of Israel’s media landscape, and his latest move targets the radio sector. According to a report in Yisrael Hayom, the minister’s office will today publish the draft of a new Broadcasting Reform Law that would reshape how radio stations operate in Israel.

Under the proposal, regional commercial radio stations—currently limited to specific geographic zones—would be allowed to broadcast nationwide, pending approval from the relevant regulatory authorities. The goal, officials say, is to modernize a system that has remained largely unchanged for decades.

The Attorney General’s office, however, has voiced strong objections to Karhi’s plan. Legal officials argue that the changes to the radio market, along with Karhi’s wider television and news-broadcast reforms, would “harm the reliability of the news.” The opposition tracks the same criticism directed at Karhi’s other media restructuring efforts.

If the legislation advances, several stations stand to gain from the expanded coverage, including Radio Tel Aviv, Galei Yisrael, Radio Darom, and others. Major beneficiaries would also include media magnates such as Eli Azur, owner of Radio 103, and Yitzchak Mirilashvili, owner of Channel 14 and of Radio Kol Chai.

The political maneuvering surrounding the reform continues within the coalition. Just days ago, Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke with Minister Karhi and Coalition Chair MK Ofir Katz to address ongoing Likud infighting over who will control deliberations on the new media laws.

According to Kan News, Netanyahu—seeking to avoid a confrontation with MK David Bitan—told Karhi he has not yet decided whether the legislation will be handled by Bitan’s Economic Affairs Committee or by a new committee that would be under Karhi’s influence. Netanyahu reportedly said he needs several more days before determining whether to establish a special committee dedicated to the Broadcasting Law, a move that would bypass the Knesset’s legal advisers and proceed despite Bitan’s objections.

Last week, the Knesset plenum approved Karhi’s Communications Law in its first reading, with the chareidi parties voting in favor. Their support, sources said, stemmed from hakaras hatov for Karhi’s role in passing the komah k’sherah (kosher cell-phone) legislation, as well as part of a broader coalition understanding that included the advancement of the Rabbinical Courts Law shortly before the communications bill was brought to a vote.

If Karhi succeeds in advancing this next stage of the reform, audiences across Israel may soon be able to tune in to stations that until now were strictly local—including popular chareidi radio outlets—on a nationwide scale.

{Matzav.com}

Police have launched an investigation after anonymous individuals threatened to murder Rav Zevadia Cohen if he does not step back from his candidacy for chief rabbi of Tel Aviv.

According to a report by Kan News on Tuesday, officers arrived at the rav’s home in recent days to collect surveillance footage from the surrounding area. This morning, police also conducted a search of his vehicle. The threats allegedly warned that harm would come to him unless he immediately removed his name from consideration for the Tel Aviv rabbanus.

The incident comes just a week after it was reported that Shas is working to advance Rav Cohen’s appointment as the city’s next chief rabbi. That effort has faced resistance from within the Tel Aviv municipality, led by Mayor Ron Huldai, who is said to oppose the move—particularly due to the fact that Rav Cohen did not serve in the IDF.

A recent City Council meeting brought the tensions into public view. Protocols published in Yisrael Hayom, via journalist Yotam Dashe, revealed a heated exchange over the vote to approve representatives to the committee that will ultimately select the new chief rabbi.

During the debate, Huldai sharply criticized the initiative, telling council members that the proposed appointment does not serve the interests of the residents. “We’re talking about a free city. A city that is home to everyone, regardless of their beliefs or worldview. There is no room for religious coercion—not in this city,” he said. “The municipality has no intention of funding a position whose necessity in our day is questionable. We need to invest in education, welfare, transportation—not in politically motivated jobs.”

His comments prompted an immediate outcry from members of Shas and the Jewish Home, who accused the mayor of disrespecting tradition and disregarding the needs of religious residents. “Tel Aviv deserves a chief rabbi just like any other city. The rabbinate does not belong only to the chareidi public; it must serve everyone,” one representative said.

Another council member added that if a rabbi is ultimately chosen, he must be someone who reflects the broader Israeli experience. “If Tel Aviv is going to have a chief rabbi, he needs to be someone who understands Israeli society—who served in it and is part of it. In a city like ours, a rabbi who didn’t serve in the army cannot represent the public. This is an issue of values, not of religion.”

Police say the investigation into the threats against Rav Cohen is ongoing.

{Matzav.com}

The Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, delivered a fierce denunciation of the proposed draft legislation during a special reception held in his honor at the headquarters of the Badatz of the Eida Hachareidis in Yerushalayim on Monday night.

Addressing the looming conscription law—commonly referred to as the Bismuth draft plan—the Rebbe warned that the legislation represents a spiritual threat of the highest order. He told those assembled that he traveled to Israel specifically to stand alongside “the warriors of Hashem” who are fighting against what he described as a disastrous decree.

The Rebbe emphasized that the Torah promises, “ki lo sishachach mi’pi zaro,” insisting that any attempt to enforce mandatory military enlistment on the chareidi public is nothing short of an effort to secularize religious Jews. “All those who impose the draft decree intend only to make the chareidim abandon their faith,” he said. “There are people who are prepared to vote for a law that would send half of the Jewish people in Eretz Yisroel into the army, which is shmad. Anyone who votes for the law is voting to uproot the religion, which is yehareg v’al ya’avor.”

He cautioned that the real danger comes not only from outspoken supporters of the law, but from those within the community who are willing to compromise. According to the Rebbe, such concessions pave the way for spiritual devastation.

The Rebbe also repeated a story he has shared many times over the years, something he heard from his uncle around seventy years ago. His uncle predicted that the day would come when a draft decree would be imposed in Eretz Yisroel and that no chareidi Jew would be able to live under such a “government of destruction.” “That day has arrived,” the Rebbe declared.

After the gathering at the Badatz offices, the Rebbe participated in a reception for the Satmar community in Yerushalayim, held in a large tent on Dorash Tov Street. The event also featured the completion of a new Sefer Torah, written in memory of two Sifrei Torah that were destroyed in a devastating fire two years ago in the Yona Street beis medrash. Following the final letters, the Rebbe lifted the newly completed Torah, and Rav Meir Hirsch, CEO of the Satmar institutions in Kiryas Yoel, was honored with rolling the Sefer Torah.

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הרבי מסאטמר בישראלצילום: א. אייזנבאך ודוד ארזני

הרבי מסאטמר בישראלצילום: א. אייזנבאך ודוד ארזני הרבי מסאטמר בישראלצילום: א. אייזנבאך ודוד ארזני {Matzav.com}

The House voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to compel the Department of Justice to disclose its investigative records on Jeffrey Epstein, passing the measure in a 425–1 landslide. The effort drew broad bipartisan support even as some lawmakers raised warnings about the structure of the bill.

During a press conference earlier in the day, House Speaker Mike Johnson made clear that he would support the measure, saying, “I’m gonna vote to move this forward,” though he did not hide his objections, calling the legislation “recklessly flawed.” He added that the House GOP was prepared to back it for the sake of transparency while still insisting on major corrections, explaining, “I think it could be close to a unanimous vote because everybody here, all the Republicans, want to go on record to show for maximum transparency. But they also want to know that we’re demanding that this stuff get corrected before it has ever moved through the process and is complete.”

The legislative push was driven by Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Rep. Ro Khanna of California, who have been pressing for the release of the Epstein documents for months. Their campaign reached a turning point when a majority of the House signed a discharge petition last week, forcing the issue onto the floor over leadership objections.

Freshman Democrat Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona provided the crucial 218th signature that finalized the petition. Her signature had been delayed while her swearing-in was stalled during the government shutdown, leading Democrats to accuse Johnson of intentionally slowing the process. Johnson rejected those allegations, insisting that her oath would not take place until the government reopened and that he intended to bring the vote anyway.

With the House now finished, the legislation heads to the Senate. Johnson told reporters he has already spoken to Senate Majority Leader John Thune in the hopes that senators will tighten the bill’s language. He recounted the conversation, saying, “I called my counterpart in the Senate, Leader Thune, and I talked him through this with him and shared our deep concerns, and of course, they share those concerns as well. And so I’m very confident that when this moves forward in the process, if and when it is processed in the Senate – which it’s no certainty that that will be – that they will take the time methodically to do what we’ve not been allowed to do in the House, to amend this discharge petition and to make sure that these protections are there.”

At the White House on Monday, President Donald Trump expressed full support for making the documents public if the bill reaches him. He said he is “all for it,” adding, “We’ll give them everything. Sure. I would let them, let the Senate look at it. Let anybody look at it,” before cautioning reporters, “But don’t talk about it too much, because honestly, I don’t want to take it away from us.”

Under the proposal, the Justice Department would be required to publish the Epstein investigative materials within 30 days, shielding the identities of victims through redaction.

{Matzav.com}

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ignited an immediate political and legal firestorm on Tuesday by declaring both the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations to be foreign terrorist organizations as well as transnational criminal organizations.

According to the governor’s office, the action gives Texas law-enforcement agencies sweeping authority to escalate monitoring, investigations, and other enforcement measures. Officials said the designation blocks the two groups and any affiliated entities from acquiring land anywhere in the state and opens the door to further legal steps.

In announcing the order, Abbott accused the organizations of pursuing extremist aims, asserting that they “have long made their goals clear: to forcibly impose Shariah law and establish Islam’s ‘mastership of the world.'” He insisted that their attempts to “subvert our laws through violence, intimidation, and harassment are unacceptable.”

CAIR pushed back sharply, telling the Houston Chronicle that it is weighing possible legal action and dismissing the governor’s move as a “publicity stunt” driven by election-year politics. The group condemned the order in strong terms, saying, “By defaming a prominent American Muslim institution with debunked conspiracy theories and made-up quotes, Mr. Abbott has once again shown that his top priority is advancing anti-Muslim bigotry, not serving the people of Texas.”

Civil-rights advocates noted that while certain offshoots of the Muslim Brotherhood — including Hamas — are designated by the federal government, neither the larger Muslim Brotherhood movement nor CAIR has been labeled a terrorist group at the national level, the Chronicle reported.

Supporters of Abbott’s move argue that it confronts what they describe as increasing risks from hostile foreign networks seeking influence inside the United States. They maintain the step is overdue and necessary to protect state security.

Opponents counter that the order undermines religious liberty and endangers Muslim communities across Texas. Earlier this year, CAIR accused Abbott of fueling hostility toward Muslims by referencing supposed “Shariah cities” and housing projects, saying that such rhetoric has intensified anti-Muslim sentiment statewide.

How this new designation will interact with federal classifications — or withstand judicial scrutiny — remains uncertain. Legal experts point out that states rarely attempt to label foreign terrorist organizations on their own, raising questions about enforceability and the likelihood of significant constitutional challenges ahead.

{Matzav.com}

Details of the terror attack at the Gush Etzion Junction has now been cleared for release, confirming that 65-year-old Aharon Cohen of Kiryat Arba was killed in the brutal stabbing and ramming assault. A respected and familiar presence in his community for decades, he leaves behind six children and grandchildren. His levayah is scheduled to depart at 21:00 from the eulogy hall in Industrial Zone A.

As word spread, the Municipality of Kiryat Arba-Hebron issued an emotional statement expressing the pain felt throughout the city: “The Kiryat Arba-Hebron community bows its head and shares in the grief of the Cohen family following the murder by evildoers of Aharon Cohen, may God avenge his blood, a resident of Kiryat Arba-Hebron and one of the city’s longtime members. On behalf of all the residents, we send our sincerest condolences to the dear family and embrace them warmly in this difficult hour.”

The casualties extended beyond the fatality. A woman in her 40s suffered severe injuries, while a man in his 30s and a 15-year-old boy were moderately hurt. Emergency teams transported the victims to Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Hadassah Ein Kerem. Security forces confirmed that the two attackers—both from the nearby Palestinian town of Beit Ummar—were neutralized at the scene.

Investigators say the assault began when the terrorists attempted to ram pedestrians at the busy junction. After crashing, they emerged with knives and continued their attack on bystanders. Armed civilians, along with reservists from the IDF’s 7491 Battalion, responded quickly and shot the assailants. A subsequent search of their vehicle uncovered several pipe bombs, according to the IDF.

In the wake of the attack, Gush Etzion Regional Council head Yaron Rosenthal linked the violence to international developments, sharply criticizing the UN Security Council resolution supported by Washington. “Once again, terror raises its head—less than 24 hours after the UN passed a resolution intended to eventually legitimize a Palestinian state, which would benefit those seeking to destroy us. It is time to act against terror in Judea and Samaria just as we have done in Gaza,” he said.

The Yesha Council delivered a similarly stark warning, arguing that the government’s hesitation on applying sovereignty has emboldened extremists. “When the State of Israel silently allows a ‘pathway to a Palestinian state,’ terror resurfaces. We have said all along: it is either sovereignty or a Palestinian state. The Israeli government avoided sovereignty, and we now face winds filling the sails of a terror state in the heart of our land. We call on the chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MK Boaz Bismuth, to immediately advance the sovereignty bill that passed its preliminary reading and must now be urgently promoted in his committee.”

Responding from abroad, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the assault and voiced solidarity with Israel. “Terrorists murdered an innocent man – may his memory be a blessing – and injured several others in a vicious attack near Gush Etzion Junction today. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel and fully condemn these cowardly acts of savage violence. Janet and I pray for the victims and their families.”

The attack has deepened grief across the region and reignited debate over security, diplomacy, and sovereignty—questions that now intensify in the shadow of yet another act of terror.

{Matzav.com}