Matzav

The United States “has no better friend than the State of Israel,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu in Yerushalayim on Sunday.

In a post on X, the American lawmaker said the sit-down with the leader of the Jewish state was “great” and came “at one of the most consequential moments in recent memory.”

Graham arrived in Israel on Jan. 16 for a trip focused on building “upon the momentum created by President Trump’s bold and unprecedented leadership in Iran, where he picked the people over the ayatollah.

“I just landed in Israel, the one and only Jewish State, and America’s strongest ally and friend since its founding,” the senator tweeted on Thursday, adding, “I look forward to meeting with our Israeli allies.

“The Trump-Netanyahu alliance has thus far been one of the strongest partnerships in the history of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and I am hopeful it will pay dividends in the near future,” Graham said.

Also on Sunday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar hosted the American at his office “for a fascinating discussion on regional and global challenges,” the minister said.

“Senator Graham is a true friend of Israel, with a unique contribution to the strengthening of the alliance between our countries. We’ll keep strengthening it!” tweeted Sa’ar following the meeting.

Senior figures in the chareidi parties are expressing confidence that the new military draft legislation being advanced by MK Boaz Bismuth, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, will clear its second and third readings in less than two weeks.

In closed-door conversations, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri and Degel HaTorah chairman Moshe Gafni have told associates that committee deliberations are expected to conclude within the coming week. After that, they believe the Knesset’s legal advisers will require only a few additional days to finalize the wording before the bill is brought to the plenum for final votes.

“One of the chareidi faction heads said last night, ‘Two weeks and this will be behind us. I don’t know what will happen on the judicial front, but as far as legislation in the Knesset goes — within two weeks we’re done.’”

According to the report, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has personally assured Deri and Gafni that he will deliver the necessary majority. “We will have 61 supporters. The law will pass,” Netanyahu reportedly told them, despite lingering doubts among some Knesset members that the coalition can indeed secure the votes.

If the law passes as planned, the chareidi parties are expected to back the state budget, paving the way for elections to be held on schedule in roughly a year — unless Netanyahu opts to move them up by several months.

At the same time, skepticism remains within the Knesset. Opponents argue that the coalition’s margin is razor-thin due to the expected opposition of Yitzchok Goldknopf, who is acting on the directive of the Chassidishe Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. MKs Meir Porush and Yitzchok  Tessler are also expected to oppose the bill, along with four coalition lawmakers who have already pledged to vote against it. With the coalition hovering at 61 seats, a single additional defection could sink the legislation.

Meanwhile, legal advisers to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee continue to object to several core provisions of the Bismuth draft law. Those objections are expected to complicate the legislation’s defense against anticipated High Court petitions. The position of the Knesset’s legal adviser, attorney Sagit Afik, has not yet been made clear.

“If Afik comes out against the law, pushing it through at any cost would be a grave mistake — the damage would outweigh the benefit,” a senior Shas official involved in the drafting of the bill said.

{Matzav.com}

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Saturday that Democrats in the Senate will take action to stop President Trump’s newly announced tariffs on European countries, arguing the move would further harm the U.S. economy and strain relations with key allies.

“Donald Trump’s foolhardy tariffs have already driven up prices and damaged our economy and now he is only making things worse,” Schumer said in a statement. “It is incredible that he wants to double down on the stupidity by imposing tariffs on our closest allies for his quixotic quest to takeover Greenland.”

“Senate Democrats will introduce legislation to block these tariffs before they do further damage to the American economy and our allies in Europe,” he said.

Trump unveiled the new 10 percent tariffs earlier Saturday, tying them directly to his demand that the United States acquire Greenland. Writing on Truth Social, the president warned that “World Peace is at stake!” and said the tariffs would remain in place “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”

“China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it,” Trump wrote, reiterating his argument that the territory is critical to U.S. national security. “They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently. Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that!”

Trump has previously suggested the United States could take control of Greenland through military force, a notion that has drawn broad opposition from lawmakers in Washington and skepticism from much of the American public.

The tariff announcement also prompted criticism from members of Trump’s own party. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska both condemned the move, with Tillis saying the tariffs are “bad for America, bad for American businesses, and bad for America’s allies.”

Murkowski warned that the policy risks alienating European partners at a critical moment.

“We are already seeing the consequences of these measures in real time: our NATO allies are being forced to divert attention and resources to Greenland, a dynamic that plays directly into Putin’s hands by threatening the stability of the strongest coalition of democracies the world has ever seen,” she wrote on X.

In Europe, leaders signaled that the tariffs were already affecting broader economic relations. Officials announced that a major U.S.–European Union trade agreement celebrated last year by Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been put on hold. Von der Leyen said Saturday that tariffs “undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.”

“Territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law,” she wrote on X. “They are essential for Europe and for the international community as a whole. We have consistently underlined our shared transatlantic interest in peace and security in the Arctic, including through NATO. The pre-coordinated Danish exercise, conducted with allies, responds to the need to strengthen Arctic security and poses no threat to anyone.”

It remains uncertain whether European governments will respond with countermeasures. Karin Karlsboro, a Swedish member of the European Parliament, told Politico that lawmakers could consider deploying an anti-coercion instrument to impose penalties in response to Trump’s latest tariffs.

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York has increasingly trained her fire on Vice President Vance, a potential rival in a 2028 presidential contest, as speculation builds over whether she might seek the White House, The Hill reports.

Over the past week, Ocasio-Cortez has highlighted what she describes as a deep divide between her worldview and Vance’s, pointing to their sharply different reactions to the recent Minneapolis shooting. She has argued that Vance’s defense of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent involved reflects a vision of America she rejects.

“I understand that Vice President Vance believes that shooting a young mother of three in the face three times is an acceptable America that he wants to live in, and I do not,” she told a gaggle of reporters earlier this month.

“And that is a fundamental difference between Vice President Vance and I. I do not believe that the American people should be assassinated in the street.”

The congresswoman, widely known as AOC, is weighing her next political move. According to sources familiar with her thinking, she has not yet decided whether to pursue a Senate bid in New York — which could put her in a primary against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in 2028 — or to mount a national campaign for president. Still, her rhetoric and posture increasingly resemble that of a White House hopeful.

Democrats have taken note that Ocasio-Cortez is now regularly addressing issues that extend well beyond her district, touching on domestic and foreign matters alike, from developments in Venezuela to debates over health care subsidies. Many in the party see that as a sign she is positioning herself for a presidential run.

“The mini primary for 2028 has already begun and she’s in it. And people want her to be in it,” said Democratic strategist Hyma Moore. “She knows she has a chance to potentially run for president and be president so she doesn’t want to be caught unprepared.”

Her critiques of Vice President Vance, in particular, have moved to the forefront of her public messaging.

Earlier this week, she intensified those attacks after being asked about remarks from Vance suggesting that the woman killed in Minneapolis was a victim of her own ideology.

“As far as what a person like that believes, you have to start right there with the person you’re dealing with,” Ocasio-Cortez told The Independent’s Washington bureau chief Eric Garcia.

Last month, she also amplified attention around a poll conducted by The Argument/Verasight indicating she would narrowly defeat Vance in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, 51 percent to 49 percent, among registered voters.

“Bloop!” the congresswoman wrote on X, the social media platform, while sharing the poll.

Asked later about the survey, Ocasio-Cortez brushed off the question with humor.

“Let the record show: I would stomp him. I would stomp him!” she said, laughing, before walking away outside the Capitol.

Vance is widely viewed as the early frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028, though some within the party have floated Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a possible alternative. Last summer, President Trump said he would “most likely” back Vance with his endorsement.

At a Turning Point USA conference, Vance also received an early nod of support from Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Moore said Ocasio-Cortez is deliberately employing multiple lines of attack as she goes after the vice president.

“He’s the early GOP/MAGA frontrunner [and] no one else has formed a salient anti-Vance message,” Moore said. “She has to show she can really jump into the high-stakes political arena.”

Another Democratic strategist echoed that view, saying it is “pretty clear that there is a particular clarity that AOC speaks with when she is going after JD Vance.”

“She’s not just disagreeing with a political opinion, she’s offering a countering vision of the country,” the strategist said. “Hard to miss the foreshadowing of what 2028 could look like.”

Within Democratic circles, many believe Ocasio-Cortez would have a viable path if she entered a presidential primary.

She would likely emerge as the leading standard-bearer for the progressive wing of the party, a role previously occupied by Sen. Bernie Sanders during his challenges to Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez appeared together before large crowds across the country last year.

“It’s going to be a different cycle than the ones we’ve seen before because it’s not clear there will be strict [ideological] lanes,” said Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons, co-host of the Politicon podcast “Trailblaze,” which is dedicated to the 2028 race.

“However, the AOC-Bernie lane may be the most distinctive lane that exists,” Simmons said.

“If she runs, she will be a factor the same way Bernie was a factor because there is populist progressive hunger in the electorate,” he added. “And if Bernie passes the torch to AOC, she will be a phenomenon.”

At the same time, Democrats acknowledge that her toughest competition in a primary could come from California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who many in the party already regard as the leading contender for 2028.

Newsom has recently strengthened his standing with Democrats by aggressively challenging President Trump and by championing Proposition 50, the redistricting initiative that won voter approval in California in November.

Since that victory, Newsom has expanded a nationwide email list of Democratic supporters and continued to demonstrate his fundraising prowess, two assets that would immediately boost any presidential campaign.

Party insiders say Newsom currently stands in a class by himself in the 2028 field, though some privately speculate that Ocasio-Cortez could join him in that top tier.

“There is no one else on the list besides Newsom who has that x-factor, name ID, an ability to draw crowds, a natural communication style, a fundraising draw,” said a second Democratic strategist. “She is the only Democrat I can think of right now who has a path out of the primary.”

Even so, a presidential run would not be without hurdles for the 36-year-old lawmaker. Among the challenges frequently discussed is her age, as well as lingering unease among some Democrats about nominating another woman after the party’s defeats in 2016 and 2024, when Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris respectively headed the ticket.

“It’s something that comes up all the time,” one Democratic strategist said. “It’s very real.”

Before any of that, Ocasio-Cortez must first choose which race, if any, she will enter.

“I’ve always believed she’s far more likely to challenge Schumer for the Senate in 2028 than to run for president, but she obviously has the national profile for either,” said Democratic strategist Christy Setzer.

Setzer pointed to President Barack Obama, who faced criticism early on from skeptics who argued he lacked sufficient experience for a presidential run.

“As Obama’s advisers told him, you’re never fully ready to run for president, but if there’s an opening, you just have to grab it.”

As Moore summed it up, “She’s starting to lay the seeds.”

“She’s being very smart about positioning herself well,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

A longtime Israeli pastry chef was killed early Friday morning in a workplace accident at a South Florida kosher bakery, authorities said.

Mordechai Grunberger, 71, died after falling into an industrial dough-kneading machine at the bakery. Police said the circumstances are still under review, but investigators have found no evidence suggesting foul play.

Grunberger had made his home in Miami for more than two decades, where he was known for his work in the kosher baking industry.

His wife, Inna Gastman Moar, shared a heartfelt tribute on Facebook, mourning the sudden loss. “Today, my beloved husband Miki, my closest person in my life my best friend, and father of my two beautiful sons, tragically passed away!” she wrote. “I lost myself. I love him so much. He’s the love of my life!”

In an official statement, police said: “Police are investigating the death of a man at the South Florida Kosher Market. At this time, there are no indications of criminal activity, and the incident has been classified as an accident involving an industrial dough-mixing machine.”

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Telegrams, in English, by the Chief Rabbis of Israel, R. Isaac Herzog and R. Meir Chai Uziel, to world dignitaries and Mizrahi leaders in several countries seeking funds to facilitate the saving of the children from secular camps to religious institutions.

Yaldei Teheran became a world wide cry for the abuses of secular Zionist officials in charge of the religious Orthodox Polish children who were smuggled to Israel through Teheran and placed in secular co-ed camps.

Marriage medical document signed by R. Meir Abuhatzira, popularly called “Baba Meir” (10 Tevet 1917 – 17 Nissan 1983), was the oldest son and designated spiritual successor of the Baba Sali.

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MK Oded Forer of Yisrael Beiteinu spoke out sharply in an interview, declaring that there should be no exemptions from military service, including for elite talmidim of leading yeshivos such as Ponevezh Yeshiva and Chevron Yeshiva.

Speaking with Yossi Sergovski on the Davar Rishon program, Forer made clear that his party will not join a coalition with the chareidi parties, accusing them of promoting what he described as an anti-Zionist agenda. He also launched a harsh attack on Shas, branding it a “racist party,” and reiterated his demand that talmidim of Chevron and Ponevezh be drafted without quotas or caps.

“Medinas Yisrael is in a war over its very existence,” Forer said. “Every citizen holding a blue ID card must take part. It makes no difference whether he is chareidi or secular, Jewish or Muslim. Anyone fit for military service must serve.”

Forer rejected claims that the enlistment drive constitutes an attack on the Olam HaTorah. He acknowledged that Torah learning is a core value, but insisted it cannot replace participation in the national burden. “Anyone who thinks there are people who are more important than others is mistaken,” he said. “Talmidim in the Hesder yeshivos paid with their lives while learning Torah. That is a real kiddush Hashem.”

Responding to arguments that limited enlistment quotas would suffice, Forer dismissed the entire concept. “The whole discussion of quotas is wrong,” he said. “If anything, we should be talking about quotas for exemptions. Tzahal needs 15,000 soldiers right now. People are doing hundreds of days of miluim. This cannot go on.”

Addressing recent enlistment figures in the chareidi sector — including a single draft day in which more than 500 young men were inducted — Forer said the increase was the direct result of sanctions. “The rise in numbers comes from pressure,” he said. “But these are still very mild sanctions, and the government is avoiding full enforcement.”

Forer also sharply criticized the leadership of the chareidi parties, accusing them of failing to condemn extremist incidents. “When chareidi soldiers are attacked in Bnei Brak and there is no condemnation, it’s unacceptable,” he said. “They send them to fight, but don’t defend them at home.”

On the issue of canceling daycare subsidies for avreichim, Forer said economic policy based on incentives and sanctions has proven effective. “People respond to benefits and to limitations,” he said. “That was true in 2003, and it’s true today. This isn’t against the chareidim — it’s in favor of partnership.”

According to Forer, many younger chareidim already understand that change is needed. “After October 7, I saw young chareidim who wanted to take part,” he said. “The ones who aren’t there are the leaders, who prefer to preserve weakness.”

Later in the interview, Forer described United Torah Judaism and Shas as non-Zionist parties. “Parties that promote an anti-Zionist agenda cannot be partners in government. I do not sit with non-Zionist parties,” he said.

In closing, Forer emphasized that Yisrael Beiteinu will not join a government led by Bibi Netanyahu or by the chareidi factions. “There is a large Zionist majority in this country,” he said. “I hope the next government will be formed on the basis of a clear Zionist agenda.”

{Matzav.com}

A leadership development took place Thursday night within the Satmar Chassidus, as the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, formally appointed his son, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, to serve as rov of Kiryas Yetev Lev–Bloomingburg.

The appointment was announced during a special gathering held at the Rebbe’s residence in Williamsburg.

Bloomingburg, located in Sullivan County, New York, is home to a growing Satmar community.

With this designation, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum will assume responsibility for the community’s rabbinic leadership, including halachic guidance and oversight of communal affairs.

Rav Aharon is a son-in-law of Rav Eliezer Menachem Mendel Meisels, Av Beis Din of Neimark.

Following the announcement, participants gathered for a l’chaim attended by family members and prominent figures from the Satmar community.

{Matzav.com}

Texas hospitals incurred more than $1 billion in medical expenses for treating illegal immigrants during fiscal year 2025, marking the first year the state formally collected and compiled such data.

Records assembled by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and obtained by Texas Scorecard show that hospitals reported 313,742 patient visits connected to individuals not legally present in the country, with total costs reaching $1.05 billion by the close of the fiscal year.

Although Texas’ fiscal year spans from September 1 through August 31, hospitals were not required to begin submitting reports until November. Using the available figures, the costs average roughly $105 million per month, suggesting that the full-year financial burden may be substantially higher than what was officially recorded.

When viewed in the context of the state budget, the hospital expenses alone amount to nearly 1% of Texas’ tax-supported funds.

The data collection stems from an executive order signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in August 2024, which required the state to monitor hospital usage by “individuals not lawfully present” in the United States. Under the directive, Texas hospitals were instructed to provide quarterly reports to the health agency detailing inpatient discharges, emergency room visits, and associated costs tied to patients without legal status.

Texas, which shares a long border with Mexico, experienced some of the highest illegal border crossing levels ever seen during the Biden administration, placing enormous strain on the state’s healthcare infrastructure, Abbott press secretary Andrew Mahaleris previously told Fox News Digital.

According to the report, the single largest category of spending involved inpatient discharges for patients who were not covered by Medicaid or CHIP, totaling $565.4 million across 40,947 discharges. CHIP, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, is a joint federal and state initiative that offers affordable health coverage to children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.

Emergency room visits by non-Medicaid and non-CHIP patients generated an additional $205.5 million in costs, the data shows.

Patients who were enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP also accounted for major expenditures, including $255.3 million related to inpatient discharges and another $24.3 million tied to emergency department visits.

For fiscal year 2025, hospitals initially submitted data only for November 2024, reporting 30,743 visits with costs exceeding $102 million, according to state figures.

Later submissions showed that the financial toll remained consistently high. From December 2024 through February 2025, hospitals logged 149,619 visits costing $330.8 million.

Between March and May 2025, reported expenses totaled $319.3 million, followed by another $298.3 million in costs from June through August 2025.

{Matzav.com}

Talik and Itzik Gvili, the parents of Ran Gvili, responded overnight to the White House announcement regarding the establishment of a “Peace Council” for Gaza, expressing anguish and disbelief as they continue to wait for their son’s return.

In a statement released following the announcement, the parents wrote: “While we are standing here waiting for Ran to be brought back, a Peace Council for phase two is being formed. How can anyone think about phase two? What kind of peace is this? Peace for whom? Peace for those who refuse to return our son, despite being obligated by the agreement, despite promises from Israel, from the mediators, and from the President of the United States?”

Ran Gvili is the last remaining hostage casualty still being held in the Gaza Strip.

At the conclusion of their statement, the parents issued a direct plea to decision-makers, writing: “To everyone who has a hand in this — as a father and mother, we beg you: do not allow this to happen. Do not leave our Rani behind and bury us together with him.”

Earlier, President Donald Trump announced on his social media platform, Truth Social, the creation of a “Peace Council” that would operate under the framework of an international peace conference. Trump said the full composition of the council would be revealed soon, but described it as “the most prestigious council ever formed,” including kings, presidents, and prime ministers.

The announcement triggered unusual tension between Israel and the United States. The Prime Minister’s Office sharply criticized Trump’s declaration regarding the Peace Council, which is intended to oversee governance in the Gaza Strip, saying the move was made without prior coordination with Jerusalem.

In an official statement, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu instructed the foreign minister to urgently contact the U.S. secretary of state to convey Israel’s opposition to the initiative. According to the statement, the American announcement “does not align with Israel’s policy” and could have implications for Israel’s security and strategic considerations.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz joins ‘Fox News Live’ to weigh in on President Donald Trump’s push to secure Greenland and potential military action in Iran.

WATCH:

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As late as Wednesday morning, officials across Washington and the Middle East were bracing for the possibility that President Donald Trump was about to authorize sweeping U.S. airstrikes against Iran, according to a Washington Post report published today that detailed how the decision ultimately shifted.

Although Trump had not yet signed off on an attack, senior national security officials believed approval was imminent and were preparing for an extended operation as tensions mounted.

The sense of urgency intensified after Trump posted a message directed at Iranian protesters on Tuesday morning, writing, “HELP IS ON ITS WAY,” and encouraging them to “take over” regime institutions. Many American and foreign officials read the message as a precursor to military action, even as Trump continued evaluating non-military pressure to force Tehran to halt its crackdown on demonstrators.

The trajectory changed on Wednesday, when Trump was informed by envoy Steve Witkoff that Iran had called off plans to execute 800 prisoners, according to a senior U.S. official.

“We’re going to watch and see,” Trump told reporters from the Oval Office. U.S. intelligence agencies confirmed the following day that the executions did not occur, the official said.

That midweek reversal unsettled some of Trump’s advisers and disappointed Iranian dissidents, reflecting the intense domestic and international forces shaping the president’s thinking. According to interviews conducted by The Washington Post with more than a dozen current and former U.S. and Middle Eastern officials, the discussions involved sensitive diplomacy and ongoing military readiness. The officials spoke anonymously.

Administration officials said Trump grappled with the danger of further destabilizing an already volatile region and with practical limits on U.S. military capacity. Pentagon leaders were uneasy that after Trump ordered an aircraft carrier strike group to the Caribbean, American forces in the Middle East were not optimally positioned to counter an expected Iranian retaliation.

Israeli officials shared those concerns, noting that Israel had depleted significant interceptor missile stockpiles during a 12-day confrontation with Iran in June, according to one current and one former U.S. official.

Major U.S. partners in the region — including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt — pressed Washington to slow down and pursue diplomacy, a senior Arab diplomat and a Gulf official said. Though these Sunni-majority states view Iran as a strategic threat, they were more alarmed by the prospect of a wider regional conflict.

Several officials said Trump also assessed the likelihood of economic fallout, escalation into broader war, and risks to roughly 30,000 U.S. troops stationed in the region. Those dangers, they noted, bore little resemblance to the limited “one and done” missions Trump had previously approved.

“He wants [operations like] Venezuela,” said a former U.S. official briefed on the internal deliberations. “This was going to be messier.”

While military action has been paused for now, Trump and his team have not ruled it out entirely as the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group makes its way toward the Middle East, according to The Post. As of Friday, the carrier was in the South China Sea and remained more than a week from arrival, officials said.

Within the administration, opinions varied sharply. Vice President JD Vance favored strikes, contending that Trump needed to follow through on warnings to Iran about killing protesters. CIA Director John Ratcliffe showed Trump video evidence of regime brutality against demonstrators, though it was unclear whether he pushed for military intervention.

Other senior advisers urged restraint. Witkoff and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles cautioned against escalation, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent argued that existing sanctions should be given time to take effect. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stayed at the White House throughout the day as options were reviewed.

After weighing the military plans, Trump decided the potential gains did not justify the risks. “Would a strike have resulted in regime change? The answer is clearly ‘no,’” said an individual close to the administration. “The negative impact of any attack outweighed any benefit.”

As U.S. forces repositioned, Iran reached out to Washington. A message from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to Witkoff “kind of also defused the situation,” according to the same individual. Trump later said he had been informed the executions would stop, telling reporters, “I greatly respect the fact that they canceled.”

Arab governments — including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, and Egypt — continued to press for diplomatic solutions.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu also urged caution, the report said, warning that Israel was not fully prepared to defend itself without substantial U.S. naval backing. U.S. officials confirmed that the two leaders spoke twice.

In the end, a combination of diplomatic pressure and uncertainty about the consequences of military action led Trump to hold off. Vance ultimately accepted the decision, according to a person familiar with the discussions.

Officials cautioned that the option of strikes could return to the table within two to three weeks, once additional U.S. military assets reach the region. In the meantime, U.S. Central Command has been instructed to prepare for continuous high-level operations “for the next month,” signaling that the standoff remains unresolved.

{Matzav.com}

Law enforcement agencies in New Jersey are cautioning the public about a growing scam in which criminals impersonate bank fraud investigators and arrange to collect victims’ debit cards in person, NJ.com reports.

According to a social media alert issued this week by Barnegat Township police, the scheme begins with phone calls from individuals claiming to represent a bank’s fraud department. The callers tell residents that a courier will be sent to retrieve their debit card.

Police say reports of these calls have surfaced from communities across the state, indicating the scam is widespread.

Investigators explained that the fraudsters use spoofed phone numbers designed to look like legitimate customer service or fraud hotlines from major banks, making the calls appear authentic.

To gain trust, the scammers often cite real, recent transactions on a victim’s account. They then allege that additional unauthorized charges, typically from out of state, have been detected.

Those supposed charges are entirely fabricated, police said, and are used to persuade victims that their accounts have been compromised and immediate action is required.

Victims are then instructed that a courier will arrive at their home to collect the debit card and transport it to the bank’s fraud department for investigation.

Once the card is surrendered, the scammers use it to carry out unauthorized purchases and withdrawals.

Police stressed that legitimate banks do not dispatch couriers to pick up debit cards under any circumstances.

Residents are urged not to share personal or financial information over the phone and never to hand over debit cards to anyone claiming to act on behalf of a bank, police said.

Anyone who receives such a call should immediately hang up and contact their bank directly using the phone number printed on the back of their card.

Individuals who believe they may have been targeted or already victimized by this scam are advised to contact the Barnegat Township Police Department at 609-698-5000.

{Matzav.com}

Serious concern has spread across the Torah world following a sharp deterioration in the condition of Grodno rosh yeshiva Rabbi Yitzchok Hacker, a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah.

According to information received shortly after midnight Israeli time on Motzaei Shabbos, Rav Hecker lost consciousness while hospitalized and is now described as being in immediate, life-threatening danger.

Family members are at his bedside at Sheba Medical Center, where he was rushed to the intensive care unit.

Earlier in the week, on Thursday, the rosh yeshiva underwent a complex medical procedure that included the amputation of part of his leg due to a severe infection.

All are asked to daven for Yitzchok ben Nechama.

{Matzav.com}

The Trump administration is pressing governments interested in holding permanent seats on a proposed Gaza Strip “Board of Peace” to pledge at least $1 billion each, according to a report published Saturday by Bloomberg.

Under the outline being circulated, President Donald Trump would take on the role of the board’s first chairman, with the body tasked with directing postwar governance, coordinating security arrangements, and guiding reconstruction efforts in Gaza.

The financial threshold is intended to ensure that participating countries are heavily invested in the success of stabilizing Gaza and funding its long-term rebuilding, rather than serving in a purely symbolic capacity.

Bloomberg reported that U.S. officials have raised the proposal in conversations with American allies and regional partners as part of wider diplomatic efforts focused on shaping Gaza’s future after the Israel-Hamas war.

Administration officials have maintained that spreading the financial responsibility internationally is necessary to prevent the burden of reconstruction from falling largely on American taxpayers.

According to the report, the framework has already received backing through a United Nations Security Council resolution, which authorized both the creation of the Board of Peace and the deployment of an international stabilization force to assist with security and civilian administration in Gaza.

Reaction to the initiative has been uneven. While some governments and international figures have expressed support or agreed to participate, Israel has voiced public criticism over elements of the board’s structure and how coordination would be handled. Even with a ceasefire reducing major fighting, violence and diplomatic friction continue as parties attempt to establish durable governance and security arrangements.

The proposal has not yet been formally unveiled, and Bloomberg noted that key questions regarding the board’s powers, composition, and implementation schedule are still being negotiated.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the United States will begin imposing broad tariffs on imports from several European countries unless an agreement is reached allowing the U.S. to acquire Greenland, outlining a phased plan that would start with a 10% duty on February 1 and rise to 25% by June 1.

In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump argued that Denmark and other European nations have benefited for decades from favorable U.S. trade arrangements and American security guarantees. He warned that the geopolitical stakes surrounding Greenland are growing, asserting that “world peace is at stake” as China and Russia seek greater influence over the Arctic territory, which operates with autonomy under Danish sovereignty.

According to Trump, the tariffs would apply broadly to imports from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland, covering what he described as “any and all goods” shipped to the United States.

He said the trade penalties would remain in force “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”

Trump tied the proposed acquisition directly to U.S. defense interests, saying Greenland is critical to national security and missile defense. He referenced a sophisticated defense initiative he called “The Golden Dome,” writing that Greenland’s inclusion is necessary for the system to function at full capacity. He added that Washington is “immediately open to negotiation” with Denmark and the other affected countries.

The White House did not immediately offer details on how the tariffs would be carried out or enforced.

Trump’s full post stated:

“We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration. Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake!
“China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it. They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently.
“Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that! Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake.
“On top of everything else, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown. This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet.
“These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable. Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question.
“Starting on February 1st, 2026, all of the above mentioned Countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland), will be charged a 10% Tariff on any and all goods sent to the United States of America. On June 1st, 2026, the Tariff will be increased to 25%.
“This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland. The United States has been trying to do this transaction for over 150 years. Many Presidents have tried, and for good reason, but Denmark has always refused.
“Now, because of The Golden Dome, and Modern Day Weapons Systems, both Offensive and Defensive, the need to ACQUIRE is especially important. Hundreds of Billions of Dollars are currently being spent on Security Programs having to do with ‘The Dome,’ including for the possible protection of Canada, and this very brilliant, but highly complex system can only work at its maximum potential and efficiency, because of angles, metes, and bounds, if this Land is included in it.
“The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

The move threatens to deepen tensions between the United States and its NATO allies, potentially creating one of the most serious strains in the alliance since its founding in 1949. Trump has frequently used tariffs as leverage in foreign policy disputes, at times extracting concessions while also triggering sharp resistance, particularly from China.

Trump is set to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday, where he is expected to encounter leaders from the very countries now facing the proposed tariffs, which would begin in just over two weeks.

Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, said the announcement caught Copenhagen off guard, calling it a “surprise” following what he described as a “constructive meeting” with senior U.S. officials in Washington earlier in the week. He said additional European troop deployments to Greenland were meant to “enhance security in the Arctic” and added that “we agree with the US that we need to do more since the Arctic is no longer a low tension area.”

French President Emmanuel Macron also pushed back publicly, drawing an implicit comparison between Trump’s threat and Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

“No intimidation or threats will influence us, whether in Ukraine, Greenland or anywhere else in the world when we are faced with such situations,” Macron said in a translated post on X. “Tariff threats are unacceptable and have no place in this context. Europeans will respond in a united and coordinated manner.”

European officials have raised questions about whether such tariffs could even be implemented, given that the European Union functions as a single trading bloc. One European diplomat, speaking anonymously, said it was unclear how the White House would legally target individual countries within that framework.

There is also uncertainty about Trump’s authority under U.S. law, though he could attempt to invoke emergency economic powers, which are currently being challenged before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Trump has long argued that the United States should control Greenland because of its strategic location and vast mineral resources. The island has a population of roughly 57,000 and relies on Denmark for defense. Trump renewed his push following the recent military operation that removed Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro earlier this month.

The United States already maintains access to Greenland under a 1951 defense agreement. Danish officials have said that since 1945, the U.S. military presence there has shrunk from thousands of troops across more than a dozen installations to about 200 personnel stationed at Pituffik Space Base in the island’s northwest. The base supports missile warning, missile defense, and space surveillance missions for the U.S. and NATO.

Opposition within Europe to Trump’s ambitions has steadily grown, even as some countries previously accepted 15% tariffs last year to preserve economic and security ties with Washington.

Earlier Saturday, several hundred people gathered in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, marching through freezing rain and icy streets to demonstrate in favor of self-governance.

In Copenhagen, thousands more marched carrying Greenland’s flag, with some displaying signs reading “Make America Smart Again” and “Hands Off.”

“This is important for the whole world,” Danish protester Elise Riechie told The Associated Press while holding Danish and Greenlandic flags. “There are many small countries. None of them are for sale.”

The demonstrations took place just hours after a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers visiting Copenhagen sought to reassure Denmark and Greenland of continued American support.

Danish Maj. Gen. Søren Andersen, who heads the Joint Arctic Command, said Denmark does not expect a U.S. military attack on Greenland or any other NATO member, noting that European troops were recently sent to Nuuk for Arctic defense training.

“I will not go into the political part, but I will say that I would never expect a NATO country to attack another NATO country,” Andersen said from a Danish naval vessel docked in Nuuk. “For us, for me, it’s not about signaling. It is actually about training military units, working together with allies.”

He added that Denmark convened a planning meeting in Greenland on Friday with NATO partners, including the United States, to discuss Arctic security amid concerns about Russia. Andersen said American forces were also invited to participate in Operation Arctic Endurance in the coming days.

Andersen said that during his two and a half years commanding forces in Greenland, he has not observed any Chinese or Russian warships near the island, despite Trump’s claims.

Still, he acknowledged that if U.S. troops were ever to use force on Danish territory, Danish soldiers would be obligated to resist.

Trump has insisted that China and Russia are seeking to exploit Greenland’s untapped reserves of critical minerals and has said anything short of U.S. control of the island would be “unacceptable.”

The president has repeatedly described tariffs as a means of achieving strategic goals without resorting to military force. Speaking at the White House on Friday, he recalled threatening European allies with pharmaceutical tariffs and suggested he could do so again.

“I may do that for Greenland, too,” Trump said.

Following Trump’s announcement, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska said “Congress must reclaim tariff authorities” to prevent them from being used solely at a president’s discretion.

European leaders have maintained that decisions regarding Greenland rest with Denmark and Greenland alone. Denmark announced this week that it is increasing its military presence on the island in coordination with allies.

“There is almost no better ally to the United States than Denmark,” said Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, who was visiting Copenhagen with other members of Congress. “If we do things that cause Danes to question whether we can be counted on as a NATO ally, why would any other country seek to be our ally or believe in our representations?”

{Matzav.com}

A sweeping nurses strike affecting three of New York City’s largest hospital systems has now been linked by union officials to multiple patient deaths, raising alarm as the walkout enters its second week.

According to a union representative, at least three people have died at Mount Sinai since nurses at Mount Sinai, Montefiore Medical Center, and New York-Presbyterian began striking on Monday. The reported deaths include two newborns who died during childbirth and a 24-year-old patient in intensive care. The official said the fatalities were connected, at least in part, to reduced levels of care resulting from the strike.

“Our PCAs [patient care associates] are saying a lot more code blues are being called,” the union honcho and longtime Mount Sinai’s nurse, who requested anonymity, told The NY Post.

The claims emerged as the walkout by nearly 15,000 nurses — now in its sixth day and backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani — continued to disrupt operations across the city’s hospital network.

“Code blue means somebody’s dead. It has a medical emergency. So, like, you have to start CPR and an emergency team comes. It’s normally doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, anesthesia, and respiratory. It’s literally just to try to resuscitate someone.”

“We’re hearing that more alerts are being called,” she added. “Our patients are sicker. And more people are dying. I mean, I’m not gonna lie to you about that.”

The same union official said the hospitals’ reliance on temporary replacement nurses has created dangerous conditions, arguing that those brought in to cover shifts are stretched too thin and lack familiarity with the facilities. “There are some really unsafe things happening,” she said.

The current walkout is the largest nurses strike in New York City history and the longest in recent years, exceeding a 2023 action in which about 7,000 workers struck for three days.

Hospital administrators, who were caught off guard by the 2023 strike and ultimately agreed to contracts favorable to nurses, have taken a far tougher approach this time. The New York State Nurses Association is pressing for improved staffing ratios, higher wages, and the preservation of health benefits.

Katie Duke, a retired nurse practitioner from Mount Sinai who is picketing alongside NYSNA members, said she has heard similar accounts from hospital staff who believe patient deaths are tied to the strike. She pointed specifically to the case of a 24-year-old patient who reportedly died in intensive care while receiving advanced life support.

“It is the highest level of life support for somebody who’s waiting on, like, a lung transplant,” Duke said

“So, the patient … wasn’t restrained and sedated properly. 
He pulled a tube out of his neck, and he died.”

Duke placed responsibility squarely on hospital leadership, accusing administrators of compromising safety rather than reaching an agreement with nurses.

“There are things happening inside, because this hospital is settling for staff who are not qualified to take care of patients, because they refuse to negotiate with the nurses and give them their contract,” she said.

“So they are sacrificing patient safety. And the problem with this is that hospitals feel like nurses are so easily replaceable, but they’re not… My heart goes out to that patient’s family.”

{Matzav.com}