Matzav

President Donald Trump’s administration is taking aggressive new steps to target foreign nationals who have remained in the United States beyond the expiration of their visas. This action follows a recent terror incident in Boulder, Colorado, in which the alleged perpetrator is an Egyptian national who overstayed his visa.

On Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem declared that the agency would intensify its scrutiny of immigration files to identify individuals who have not exited the country after their visas expired.

For years, DHS has reported that millions of illegal aliens living in the U.S. originally entered legally with temporary visas but failed to leave when required. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people are added to this population due to visa overstays.

This renewed enforcement initiative follows the arrest of 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national accused of launching a violent attack with a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails during a peaceful rally in support of Israel in Boulder.

Soliman, now in federal custody along with his relatives, is facing serious charges, including attempted murder and hate crimes, for allegedly targeting Jewish attendees and pro-Israel demonstrators—among them a Holocaust survivor.

“There is no room in the United States for the rest of the world’s terrorist sympathizers,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “Anyone who thinks they can come to America and advocate for antisemitic violence and terrorism – think again. You are not welcome here. We will find you, deport you, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”

According to immigration authorities, Soliman legally entered the country through Los Angeles International Airport on a tourist visa in August 2022. That visa expired in February 2023, but he failed to leave, thus violating federal immigration laws and becoming unlawfully present.

Despite the expiration of his visa, records show that Joe Biden’s administration granted Soliman a work authorization in March 2023. That work permit was valid for one year and expired in March 2024.

This was not Soliman’s first attempt to enter the United States. Two decades ago, he applied for a visa and was denied.

At a press event on Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) sarcastically renamed the House-passed budget measure pushed by President Donald Trump. Instead of calling it the “big, beautiful bill,” Schumer dubbed it the “Well, We’re All Going to Die Act.”

Flanked by Senators Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Ron Wyden of Oregon, Schumer stood beside a bold sign bearing the mock title. The slogan was a jab at a remark made earlier by Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).

“The more you look at the bill, at the House bill, the worse it gets,” Schumer said during the press conference.

He went on to accuse the legislation of benefiting the richest Americans at the expense of millions. “This bill is just tax breaks for the ultra wealthy, paid for by gutting health care for up to 16 million Americans.”

The controversy stems in part from remarks Ernst made at a recent town hall in Butler, Iowa. There, she defended elements of the legislation, especially provisions targeting undocumented immigrants’ access to federal programs.

While Ernst fielded questions about changes to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, an audience member interrupted her, warning that such reforms would lead to people dying.

“Well, we’re all going to die,” Ernst responded, a comment that provoked boos from the crowd.

Following the backlash, Ernst took to Instagram on Saturday to clarify her intent, though she stood by her words. She wrote, “made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that, yes, we are all going to perish from this Earth.”

{Matzav.com}

The landmark Jewish music event of the year: the first-ever large-scale open-air music festival, headlining Ishay Ribo with guest performances by Chasidic music legend Avraham Fried, as well as Zusha and Shmuel, on August 7th at the iconic Bethel Woods in the heart of the Catskills of upstate New York.

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Set at the historic Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – one of the most iconic open-air venues in America – Yamim Ba’im, “New Days are Coming,” marks the dawn of a new era in Jewish music and unity. Nestled in the scenic Catskills and known for its sweeping hillside and world-class acoustics, Bethel Woods has hosted some of the most legendary performances in American music history. Now, for the first time, it will become the stage for an unprecedented celebration of Jewish song, spirit, and togetherness. Thousands from across the tri-state area and beyond will gather under the open sky for a night of heartfelt music and unity – on a scale never seen before.

The landmark event will take Jewish music to new heights in upstate New York on August 7th, the 13th of Av – the Thursday evening  before Shabbos Nachamu.

The festival is centered on a full-length outdoor concert by Ishay Ribo who’s meteoric rise has redefined the landscape of Jewish music, going from humble beginnings to two sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden and becoming one of the most beloved and influential voices in contemporary Israeli music. Yamim Baeim marks his largest North American performance to date, with guest performances by the legendary Avraham Fried as well as Zusha and Shmuel.

A world-famous musical icon, Bethel Woods is a massive, historic, and breathtaking amphitheater nestled in the heart of the Catskills — a region that comes alive each summer with vibrant Jewish life.

With sweeping lawns, stunning natural surroundings, and state-of-the-art production, it offers a setting of unparalleled beauty and legacy — an ideal backdrop for a night of Jewish music, meaning, and unity.

Yamim Baeim will demonstrate the Jewish community’s strength, spirit, and unity with an unprecedented celebration of authentic Jewish music straight from the soul.

Tickets are now live at Ticketmaster.com

For more information and VIP options: Yamimbaim.com

The bodies of two Israeli hostages have been recovered from the Gaza Strip in a special operation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday.

Judy Weinstein-Haggai and Gadi Haggai, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, were named as the two deceased captives. The married couple—who were dual Israeli and American citizens—were murdered during the Hamas-led invasion on Oct. 7, 2023, and their bodies were taken to Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed their deaths in December.

“Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the dear families. Our hearts ache over this most terrible loss. May their memory be a blessing,” the premier said in a statement.

“I wish to thank and express my appreciation to the soldiers and commanders for their determined and successful operation. We will not rest and we will not be silent until we bring all our hostages home—both the living and the fallen,” Netanyahu continued.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the recovery of their bodies “a moment of deep pain, but also one of solace and the resolution of uncertainty.” He pledged to continue “to do everything in our power to bring our sisters and brothers back from hell— the living, for healing and rehabilitation, and the fallen, to be laid to rest in dignity. Every last one of them!”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum extended condolences to the Haggai family and thanked the security forces who participated in the recovery operation.

“Our hearts are with the entire Nir Oz community, and we pray that all the hostages will soon return home, together with the fallen, who will be brought to a proper burial,” the statement read.

The bodies were retrieved from the Khan Yunis area on Wednesday night in a joint operation with the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), the IDF said.

They were murdered and their corpses were taken by the Mujahideen Brigades (“Kataeb al-Mujahideen”) terrorist organization, according to the military.

The Mujahideen Brigades collaborates closely with Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s armed wing, the Al-Quds Brigades (“Saraya Al-Quds”).

“The couple, Judy and Gad, are parents of four, Judy was 70 years old at the time of her death and Gad was 72 years old at the time of his death,” the IDF statement added.

The number of hostages—both living and deceased—held in Gaza now stands at 56. JNS

{Matzav.com Israel}

Two figures became the focal point of criticism during the heated two-hour Democratic mayoral debate in New York City: Andrew Cuomo, the dominant frontrunner, and Donald Trump.

Cuomo’s rivals on the debate stage—eight candidates eager to break his lead in the polls—hammered him over controversies that shadowed his resignation four years ago. The accusations ranged from sexual harassment claims to his management of the COVID-19 pandemic, which remains under federal scrutiny.

One of the harshest criticisms came from Michael Blake, a former state Assemblymember polling near the bottom of the field. “The people who don’t feel safe are the young women, mothers and grandmothers around Andrew Cuomo — that’s the greatest threat to public safety.”

With just 10 days left until early voting begins, the televised debate was a make-or-break opportunity for Cuomo’s opponents to land punches. They used the evening to aggressively go after the former governor, hoping to chip away at his commanding lead.

The lineup included Cuomo, Blake, City Comptroller Brad Lander, State Senators Zellnor Myrie and Jessica Ramos, former City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, and businessman Whitney Tilson. The debate was hosted by POLITICO and WNBC.

The event was often chaotic, with candidates talking over each other as they competed to challenge Cuomo, who is seeking a political comeback after stepping down amid scandal.

Beyond Cuomo, the candidates also took aim at Trump’s influence in the city, condemning his immigration policies and his threats toward Columbia University, where he accused the administration of failing to protect Jewish students.

Brad Lander attempted to tie Cuomo to Trump by blasting both figures. “With all the corruption that’s in Washington, we can’t have corruption back here in New York City as well,” he said, referencing Cuomo’s lucrative $5 million book deal from the pandemic.

The attacks on Cuomo were relentless. Although he’s avoided most press and candidate events, Wednesday night marked a rare moment where he stood directly in the crosshairs, especially from Blake, who repeatedly landed pointed jabs.

Mamdani revived a controversial 2008 remark in which Cuomo used the phrase “shuck and jive” to describe then-candidate Barack Obama, accusing him of dodging responsibility. “Allergic to accountability,” Mamdani said, echoing the sentiment of many onstage.

Adrienne Adams was visibly stunned when Cuomo failed to identify a single political regret. She pressed him, saying, “No regrets when it comes to cutting Medicaid or health care? No regrets when it comes to cutting child care? No regrets when it comes to slow walking PPE and vaccinations in the season of Covid in Black and brown communities?”

Scott Stringer criticized Cuomo’s role in advancing a controversial bail reform law, while Cuomo pushed back, accusing his opponents of wanting to defund the police. He targeted Mamdani specifically, dismissing the assemblymember’s qualifications. “Mr. Trump would go through Mr. Mamdani like a hot knife through butter,” Cuomo said. “He would be Trump’s delight.”

Cuomo also turned his fire on Lander, accusing the comptroller of authorizing contracts tied to his wife’s connections. “Mr. Lander knows corruption,” Cuomo said. Lander swiftly responded, calling the allegation “a lie.”

Trump’s shadow loomed large over the debate. Though deeply unpopular in New York, his actions have continued to shape the race. Stringer once branded him “a schmuck,” while Cuomo labeled him “a bully.”

Current Mayor Eric Adams has opted to skip the Democratic primary altogether, announcing in April that he will pursue reelection as an independent. His perceived friendliness with Trump after the DOJ dropped a corruption case against him made remaining in the Democratic field politically risky.

Adams, who ran on a tough-on-crime message during the COVID era, was scarcely mentioned. However, Adrienne Adams expressed regret over having backed him in 2021.

Cuomo, meanwhile, hasn’t escaped the Trump-related fallout. A federal investigation into his handling of nursing home deaths during the pandemic was triggered by a House Republican referral accusing him of lying to Congress.

On stage, Cuomo denied the accusation. But when pressed about whether he had personally reviewed or edited the nursing home report, he sidestepped. “I was very aware of the report,” Cuomo said, drawing audible groans. “I stand by the report.”

The controversy over his decision to require nursing homes to admit COVID-positive patients has persisted. Cuomo has argued the policy followed federal guidelines, but the state attorney general and comptroller later reported his administration had undercounted thousands of nursing home fatalities.

Cuomo’s campaign has attempted to use the investigation to its advantage, portraying it as politically motivated. Last month, he released an ad pointing out that others under investigation by Trump’s Department of Justice include fellow Democrats, such as Attorney General Letitia James.

He stepped down in 2021 after a bombshell report from James’ office concluded he had harassed 11 women. Though he initially apologized, he later denied the allegations entirely. “I said at the time it was political and it was false.”

Despite lingering unpopularity and criticism of his past governance—particularly his record on homelessness and the subway—Cuomo remains a top-tier contender thanks to name recognition, union endorsements, and favorable polling. Some of the polling was conducted by a firm providing free services to his campaign.

Cuomo is benefiting from an expensive advertising blitz by a super PAC called Fix the City, which has spent more than $8 million on TV ads. The PAC has drawn financial support from Trump-aligned donors like William Ackman and from companies like DoorDash. The support has raised eyebrows from campaign finance watchdogs, who suspect illegal coordination.

“I work for the people of the state of New York, the people of the city of New York. I don’t care who gave me what,” Cuomo said. “I do what is right.”

His campaign message centers on restoring order to what he portrays as a city plagued by crime and homelessness—challenges he claims only he is capable of resolving.

Cuomo’s base overlaps with that of Eric Adams, drawing from blue-collar communities of color and Jewish neighborhoods, both crucial demographics in a citywide race.

Zohran Mamdani has emerged as Cuomo’s most serious challenger, consistently ranking second in the polls. An Emerson College survey found him trailing Cuomo by single digits in a final ranked-choice round.

Mamdani has grown his profile through polished online videos and bold policy ideas, including government-operated supermarkets, universal child care, and fare-free buses. However, those proposals face steep financial hurdles and would require state approval.

He’s also pushing for a rent freeze and criticized Cuomo during the debate for failing to fully support taxing the wealthy during his time as governor.

Mamdani’s political positions, particularly his support for the BDS movement and criticism of Israel, have become a liability with Jewish voters. Cuomo has leaned into this divide, slamming Mamdani, Lander, and Adrienne Adams for what he calls weak support for Israel.

Outside NBC’s headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, a raucous crowd gathered ahead of the debate. Supporters of various candidates lined the sidewalks, chanting and waving signs.

Mamdani made a flashy entrance, arriving with a brass band called “Horns for Zohran,” playing “This Land is Your Land.”

Cuomo drew the biggest crowd, filled with union members from Laborers Local 79, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, and the carpenters union. But he kept them waiting.

“You sure he’s coming? We’re waiting for him,” one HTC member asked, scanning the crowd.

While other candidates were told to arrive before 5:30 p.m., Cuomo pulled up nearly an hour late in a Dodge Charger, stepping out to greet his cheering supporters.

{Matzav.com}

In a sharply worded message on Wednesday evening, Rav Yitzchak Yosef, former chief rabbi of Israel, made it clear that the latest developments surrounding the chareidi draft bill and the position taken by MK Yoel “Yuli” Edelstein could spell the end of the current government’s term.

During a meeting at his home, Rav Yosef received former minister and Shas negotiator Ariel Attias for a detailed update on the discussions within the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee regarding the draft legislation and the mounting political crisis threatening to dissolve the Knesset.

Attias informed Rav Yosef that although recent days had seen significant progress and broad agreement on a unified version of the draft law, committee chairman Edelstein suddenly reversed his position. He withdrew support for several key clauses, effectively gutting the agreement reached with chareidi parties and introducing a framework that would subject yeshiva and kollel students to a series of harsh sanctions.

In response, Rav Yosef instructed that a clear message be delivered to Prime Minister Netanyahu at their meeting today: Edelstein’s demands are tantamount to the collapse of the government.

Simultaneously, Rav Yosef emphasized the need to maintain open channels with all factions in the Knesset in preparation for possible future cooperation after elections, with the goal of ensuring legal protections for bnei hayeshivos.

“The primary mission in the Knesset is to strengthen and protect those who learn Torah — without them we have no right to exist,” Rav Yosef said during the meeting. “Therefore, it is imperative to act in every possible way, with anyone willing to help in this matter — this has nothing to do with being right-wing or aligning with any specific camp.”

It was also agreed that following today’s meeting with the prime minister, the matter would be reassessed and final decisions would be made accordingly — including the possibility of convening the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas at the beginning of next week to formally determine the community’s next steps.

In a related development, a list of sanctions proposed against yeshiva and kollel students under the age of 29 who do not enlist and fail to meet government-imposed draft quotas has been revealed:

• Loss of municipal property tax discounts (arnona)

• Revocation of income tax credits for their wives

• Ineligibility for discounted housing programs

• Taxation on first-home purchases

• Loss of academic tuition subsidies

• Inability to obtain a driver’s license

• Restrictions on travel abroad

• Disqualification from daycare subsidies

• Constant threat of arrest

• Removal of public transportation discounts

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Trump issued a directive on Wednesday tasking his administration with launching an investigation into whether aides to Joe Biden “conspired to deceive the public” about his cognitive state and used an autopen to approve documents without his direct involvement.

“In recent months, it has become increasingly apparent that former President Biden’s aides abused the power of Presidential signatures through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline and assert Article II authority,” Trump stated in a formal memorandum addressed to his legal counsel and Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Labeling the situation as a major breach of trust, Trump wrote, “This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history,” adding, “The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden’s signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts.”

Trump raised questions about Biden’s actual involvement in executive actions over his term, asserting that “there are serious doubts as to the decision making process and even the degree of Biden’s awareness” related to presidential directives he allegedly signed. These included controversial pardons for members of his own family and commutations for individuals convicted of murder.

In the memo, Trump instructed, “The Counsel to the President, in consultation with the Attorney General and the head of any other relevant executive department or agency (agency), shall investigate, to the extent permitted by law, whether certain individuals conspired to deceive the public about Biden’s mental state and unconstitutionally exercise the authorities and responsibilities of the President.”

The investigation will also examine efforts to “purposefully shield the public from information regarding Biden’s mental and physical health,” as well as the authenticity of executive actions allegedly approved during his final years in office—particularly those bearing autopen signatures.

“Given clear indications that President Biden lacked the capacity to exercise his Presidential authority, if his advisors secretly used the mechanical signature pen to conceal this incapacity, while taking radical executive actions all in his name, that would constitute an unconstitutional wielding of the power of the Presidency, a circumstance that would have implications for the legality and validity of numerous executive actions undertaken in Biden’s name,” Trump wrote in the document.

The inquiry will also aim to uncover any internal agreements among Biden’s team “to cooperatively and falsely deem recorded videos of the President’s cognitive inability as fake” and to pressure individuals into issuing “false, public statements elevating the President’s capabilities.”

In response, Biden issued a statement to multiple press outlets pushing back on the accusations. “Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false,” he stated.

He went on to say, “This is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans who are working to push disastrous legislation that would cut essential programs like Medicaid and raise costs on American families, all to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.”

Trump’s memo follows a recent email from Department of Justice pardon attorney Ed Martin, who instructed his team to investigate whether Biden was of sound mind when certain decisions were made, including if autopen use obscured involvement from others.

The probe will specifically review pardons issued to five of Biden’s relatives—his son Hunter, siblings James, Frank, and Valerie, along with their spouses—as well as the 2024 commutations for 37 federal death row inmates.

Martin had previously stated that while the president’s power to grant clemency is broad, the use of an autopen in such circumstances justifies deeper evaluation.

On Capitol Hill, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is spearheading a separate inquiry into Biden’s mental fitness and autopen use. Meanwhile, Senators Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) are organizing a Senate hearing next month to examine Biden’s cognitive state more closely.

{Matzav.com}

As tensions escalate between Prime Minister Netanyahu and the chareidi parties over the draft law crisis, new developments reveal mounting political instability. A private, one-on-one meeting took place on Wednesday between MK Benny Gantz, chairman of the National Unity Party, and Rav Reuven Elbaz, a senior member of Shas’s Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah. The meeting was held at Rav Elbaz’s residence.

Simultaneously, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri convened an emergency session with his party’s ministers and Knesset members. During the meeting, Deri announced that Shas would support a motion to dissolve the Knesset next week if Netanyahu fails to persuade Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman MK Yuli Edelstein to soften his demands regarding the draft legislation.

Speaking at the meeting, Deri emphasized that Shas is not seeking new elections but is facing a reality in which there is “no choice.” He made clear that Shas cannot remain part of a government that fails to secure protections for bnei hayeshivos and lomdei Torah.

Meanwhile, the Shas Council of Roshei Yeshiva, led by Rav Shmuel Betzalel, Rosh Yeshiva of Porat Yosef, also convened to deliberate whether to back the move to disband the Knesset over the Edelstein draft bill impasse.

Former Minister Ariel Attias presented the proposed sanctions and legal demands made by MK Edelstein to the rabbanim during the session. The council expressed its support for dissolving the Knesset should no agreement be reached on a mutually acceptable version of the draft law.

Sources in Shas indicate that the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah is expected to formally meet in the coming days to ratify this stance, potentially bringing the coalition to the brink of collapse if a resolution is not found.

{Matzav.com Israel}

West Harlem has taken a bold step in waste management, becoming the first area in both New York City and North America to place all its trash in containers. On Monday, Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Acting Commissioner Javier Lojan announced the launch of full-scale service for the new European-style sidewalk containers—called Empire Bins—in Manhattan’s Community Board 9. This area includes the neighborhoods of Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, and Hamilton Heights. Under the pilot initiative, all residential buildings must containerize trash. Those with 31 or more units are mandated to use Empire Bins.

“When we said four years ago that we were going to have cleaner streets and fewer vermin, the cynics rolled their eyes and said, ‘New York City is too big, government moves too slow, and no one will ever beat the rats,’” Adams said in a statement. “But we refused to take no for an answer, and our Empire Bins are striking back at rats and garbage in West Harlem.”

The launch signals major progress in the Adams administration’s campaign to revamp how garbage is handled across the city, with waste containerization at the forefront of this effort.

DSNY distributed roughly 1,100 bins during the past five weeks, assigning each to a specific building instead of using a block-based model. Building owners received special key cards to unlock and use their designated bins.

Each Empire Bin is capable of storing approximately 794 gallons of refuse, which translates to about 25 standard 32-gallon trash bags, according to city officials.

Buildings with between 10 and 30 apartments were given a choice: receive their own Empire Bin or utilize smaller mobile containers known as “wheelie bins.” Following significant outreach, city representatives say about 50 percent of eligible buildings opted for the larger Empire Bins.

Waste from the new containers is collected three times a week by DSNY’s automated side-loading garbage trucks. These vehicles, part of the department’s “Future of Trash” plan, are specially equipped to handle the new on-street bins through side-loading technology.

At present, 16 of these side-loading trucks—engineered in collaboration with teams from Italy, Hicksville, and Brooklyn—are in active rotation throughout West Harlem.

Some locals have expressed concerns about the containers eliminating parking spots. According to Gothamist, DSNY estimates that only about four percent of parking spaces in the area have been repurposed. Still, one significant operational hurdle has been vehicles double-parked in front of the bins, making it difficult for the side-loading trucks to perform their pickups, as noted by the New York Times.

New York City’s waste containerization regulations have expanded steadily. As of March 2024, all businesses must use bins for their garbage. And since November 2024, buildings with up to nine residential units are also required to comply. Combined, these rules now cover 70 percent of all the city’s trash.

Preliminary indicators suggest the approach is yielding results. The city’s 311 hotline has recorded fewer rat complaints in the six months since the regulations began, compared to the same stretch the previous year, according to a recent press release.

DSNY plans to monitor West Harlem’s pilot closely in the months ahead. A decision about scaling the program to other parts of the city will be based on the findings from this evaluation.

“When I started as a sanitation worker in 1999, the idea that we could get where we are today seemed impossible,” DSNY Acting Commissioner Lojan said. “But in the 26 years since then, I’ve seen too many good people get hurt from throwing bags or sick with leptospirosis, and I’ve seen too many neighborhoods asked to live with garbage juice and rats all over their sidewalks.”

“It doesn’t have to be that way and today marks a giant leap forward for our city — the completion of a signature Adams administration initiative, a revolution in how we handle our trash.”

Widening the program will be a massive undertaking, requiring the removal of an estimated 50,000 parking spots and an investment of several hundred million dollars over the coming ten years, the Times reported.

Although the project is showing promise, it is still classified as a pilot. Any decision to make it permanent will rest with future city leaders. Andrew Cuomo, who currently leads in the polls, has publicly supported the concept of containerized waste.

Brad Lander, the city comptroller and a candidate for mayor, has also endorsed the effort and wants to see it expanded more broadly. Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani, who is polling in second place, has argued that the initiative should be pushed even further.

{Matzav.com}

In response to the recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) is preparing to reintroduce legislation targeting the Muslim Brotherhood by formally labeling it a terrorist group, according to a report by The Hill on Wednesday.

The attack, which occurred on Sunday, was allegedly carried out by Mohamed Soliman, an Egyptian national. Authorities have pointed to his online activity, where he reportedly expressed support for the Muslim Brotherhood, as part of the investigation.

Senator Cruz revealed that he is working on a “modernized version” of the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act, which he has championed in the past during prior legislative sessions.

Explaining the urgency of the bill, Cruz remarked, “The Muslim Brotherhood uses political violence to achieve political ends and destabilize American allies, both within countries and across national boundaries. The Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood is Hamas, a terrorist group which on October 7th committed the largest one day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, and which included the murder and kidnapping of dozens of Americans.”

He continued, emphasizing the threat he believes the organization poses, stating, “The Brotherhood used the Biden administration to consolidate and deepen their influence, but the Trump administration and Republican Congress can no longer afford to avoid the threat they pose to Americans and American national security.”

A number of other nations, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, have already categorized the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. These designations came after the group’s political ascension in Egypt, which ended with their ouster by the country’s military.

According to The Hill, the push for this renewed legislation has received backing from lawmakers across the political spectrum, several of whom are urging President Donald Trump to take definitive action and formally declare the group a terrorist entity.

Among those expressing support was Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), who wrote on X, “Its history of promoting extremist ideologies and terrorist activities through affiliates like Hamas threatens our national & global security.”

Although President Trump considered making such a designation during his first term, the administration ultimately refrained. At the time, officials reportedly determined that the group did not fully meet the criteria required for classification as a foreign terrorist organization.

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In a candid interview with Arutz Sheva in Hebrew, veteran chareidi political analyst Yisroel Cohen unpacked the growing tensions between the chareidi parties and the Netanyahu-led government, explaining why, despite knowing they have little to gain from the opposition, chareidi MKs may still choose to walk out.

“There’s nothing for them outside,” Cohen stated unequivocally. “In realpolitik terms, the chareidim have nothing to look forward to on the other side. The days when Gantz said, ‘Bring me a blank paper and write whatever you want and I’ll sign it,’ are over — and that’s because of October 7 and the close alignment between the chareidi parties and the right-wing bloc. The messaging coming from Gantz, Lapid, and Yair Golan makes it clear: there’s nothing waiting for the chareidim in a different coalition.”

Still, Cohen acknowledges that the threat of leaving the coalition is not empty rhetoric. “There’s a deeply held chareidi belief that they cannot be part of a government that brands lomdei Torah as criminals or draft dodgers,” he said. While expressing his own sorrow over the widening cracks within the religious bloc — a bloc he says still agrees on 80 percent of the issues and shares the same beliefs — Cohen lamented that, since the horrors of October 7, the relationship between the chareidim and the religious Zionist camp has become increasingly strained, especially around the issue of the draft.

He recalled how, in past decades, the political left would talk about donning a shtreimel if it meant achieving peace. Today, however, Cohen observed, the left has shifted sharply in a progressive and anti-religious direction. Against that backdrop, he invoked the words of Maran Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l, who spoke of the enduring alliance between the chareidi world and the traditional and peripheral communities of Israel.

Yet even as the chareidim feel they have remained loyal to Netanyahu through repeated elections, they now question whether that loyalty was a mistake. “The Likud, Religious Zionism, and Ben Gvir’s party all got what they wanted. The chareidim? They were pushed aside by Netanyahu — again and again.”

Pressed on whether going to the opposition wouldn’t itself harm Torah study — given that Gantz, Lapid, Golan, and Liberman are unlikely to be better partners for chareidi interests — Cohen responded by quoting the Gerrer Rebbe, who said, “We’re not in charge of Heaven’s calculations. Hashem has His own ways to protect the chareidi public, even if it’s in the opposition.” Beyond that, Cohen added, there’s a fundamental red line: “We cannot accept being part of a government that defines Torah learners as criminals.”

Looking ahead, Cohen said there’s also a strategic recalibration taking place. “Some in the chareidi leadership believe that their alliance with the political right has eroded their deterrent power. Maybe, by stepping out — if not now, then in the long term — they can reestablish themselves as a decisive swing vote.”

Asked whether chareidi leaders are concerned about how they’ll be perceived by the broader Israeli public if they bring down a government during wartime, Cohen acknowledged that some rabbanim do worry about that perception and would prefer to avoid such a move — especially during a war. “But,” he added, “they see limud haTorah as non-negotiable. It’s their core demand. And they didn’t get it, even after handing Netanyahu the 61 seats he needed to form a government.”

As for the financial and political achievements the chareidi parties have secured until now, Cohen admitted there were many. “But the sanctions imposed in the draft issue scared them — deeply. If Yuli Edelstein had been more flexible, there might have been room for a different kind of conversation, built on shared values.”

“We’re now closer than ever to the collapse of the government,” Cohen warned, “but there’s still a week. If Netanyahu rolls up his sleeves and dives headfirst into the issue, a resolution is possible. Most of the chareidi leadership isn’t looking to dismantle the coalition just for the sake of it. They just want a law that they can live with. They know the ‘dream bill’ from two years ago is no longer realistic — they understand that October 7 changed the landscape. But they’re still waiting for something.”

And what of the rumors that United Torah Judaism leader Moshe Gafni might be quietly negotiating with Gantz or Lapid? Cohen doubts it. “Given how committed the opposition leaders are to the draft issue, it’s hard to believe. Still,” he allowed, “some may feel that it can’t get worse than this — and perhaps, under a different government, the attorney general and the Supreme Court would provide more room to maneuver.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Today, former minister Rabbi Ariel Attias met with Rav Moshe Maya, the elder member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas, to update him on the current impasse in negotiations over the chareidi draft law and the demands being made by MK Yuli Edelstein, head of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Attias, who is leading the discussions on behalf of the chareidi parties regarding the legal status of bnei yeshiva, briefed Rav Maya on the sharp disagreements that have emerged, particularly Edelstein’s insistence on inserting stringent clauses into the draft bill.

“I asked Edelstein yesterday during our latest conversation — what exactly are you aiming for? What do you want?” Attias recounted to Rav Maya. “He told me he wants draft targets to be set for five years, not seven as proposed by Defense Minister Katz. In addition, he’s demanding that if 95% of those targets aren’t met, all yeshiva funding should be canceled — unlike the position of the chareidi parties, which calls for proportional adjustments based on compliance rather than an all-or-nothing approach.”

Rav Maya responded forcefully: “This is completely unacceptable to us. These are principles that degrade talmidei chachamim. This is a law that declares we have no share in the G-d of Israel.” Quoting the Rambam, he added: “Those who study Torah are exempt from army service.”

Rav Maya pressed further: “Why don’t you separate those who are truly learning Torah from those who aren’t? Why should we be setting quotas and benchmarks? Why are we including non-learners in this law at all?”

Summing up the uncertain state of affairs, Attias remarked, “We are still undecided on the right course — whether to push for the dissolution of the Knesset or simply to leave the coalition.”

Rav Maya replied unequivocally, “We cannot remain in this government any longer. How exactly we’ll go about that…we’ll decide soon with Aryeh [Deri].”

Meanwhile, Shas is preparing for a special meeting of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, expected to take place next week at the party’s headquarters in Har Chotzvim.

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Trump has issued a sweeping proclamation that temporarily blocks international students from enrolling at Harvard University, halting new visa entries for the next six months. The announcement marks a dramatic escalation in the administration’s efforts to reshape the student visa program used by elite institutions.

According to the White House, the action halts access for individuals seeking to begin studies at Harvard under visa classifications associated with student and exchange programs. Citing national security concerns, potential criminal activity, and institutional discrimination, the administration defended the move as a matter of urgent public interest.

Trump has previously accused Harvard of “treating the US with great disrespect,” and now asserts that the school no longer deserves to manage international student admissions under the current visa framework.

“When a university refuses to uphold its legal obligations, including its recordkeeping and reporting obligations, the consequences ripple far beyond the campus,” the proclamation said, noting that it is of “national interest” to deny foreign nationals access to Harvard.

“They jeopardize the integrity of the entire United States student and exchange visitor visa system, compromise national security, and embolden other institutions to similarly disregard the rule of law.”

As part of the directive, Trump has instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to review the status of the nearly 7,000 foreign nationals at Harvard who are currently studying on F-1, M-1, or J-1 visas, raising the possibility that they could be forced to leave before the 2025–2026 academic year begins.

The order singles out Harvard alone, leaving other American universities unaffected.

This executive move follows closely behind a Massachusetts judge’s ruling that temporarily blocked an earlier federal effort to stop Harvard from accepting international enrollees — a group that makes up more than 25 percent of its student population.

The underlying dispute began when the university declined a federal request to provide documentation of foreign students’ activities, including recordings of any protest involvement dating back five years.

In a parallel development, the Department of Homeland Security, under Secretary Kristi Noem, served Harvard with a notice that it would be disqualified from participating in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program — a decision that was promptly stayed by court order.

Trump has also vowed to redirect approximately $3.3 billion in federal funding currently allocated to Harvard to vocational education programs, unless the university agrees to meet a list of conditions aimed at eliminating antisemitic incidents on campus.

Among those potentially affected are prominent international students, including Cleo Carney, daughter of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Princess Elisabeth of Belgium.

In a recent interview, Matthew Miller, who previously served as the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department during President Joe Biden’s administration, accused Israeli forces of committing war crimes during their military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Speaking on a podcast with Sky News, Miller stated, “It is without a doubt true that Israel has committed war crimes.”

Despite making this accusation, Miller clarified that he does not believe the Israeli military is carrying out a campaign of genocide in Gaza.

Miller explained that war crimes can be assessed in two main ways. “There are two ways to think about the commission of war crimes,” he said. “One is if the state has pursued a policy of deliberately committing war crimes or is acting recklessly in a way that aids and abets war crimes. Is the state committing war crimes?” He continued by noting, “That, I think, is an open question [in regard to Gaza]. I think what is almost certainly not an open question is that there have been individual incidents that have been war crimes where Israeli soldiers, members of the Israeli military, have committed war crimes.”

The Israeli government has consistently rejected these kinds of accusations, maintaining that its military operations are conducted with efforts to minimize harm to civilians, despite facing an enemy embedded within civilian areas.

Nonetheless, international observers have questioned Israel’s actions, particularly pointing to the scale of civilian deaths and the strict controls on humanitarian aid entering Gaza as evidence that contradicts its claims of protecting noncombatants.

Miller added further context by discussing how democracies should be judged based on their response to misconduct within their armed forces. “In almost every major conflict, including conflicts prosecuted by democracies, you will see individual members of the military commit war crimes, and the way you judge a democracy is whether they hold those people accountable,” he said.

He added, “We have not yet seen them hold sufficient numbers of the military accountable, and I think it’s an open question whether they’re going to.”

Miller also touched on policy differences within the Biden administration regarding how to manage the Gaza conflict, including the question of halting weapons shipments to Israel. He suggested that such actions might have inadvertently encouraged Hamas to continue the fighting rather than negotiate a ceasefire. “It was clear to us in that period that there was a time when our public discussion of withholding weapons from Israel, as well as the protests on college campuses in the United States and the movement of some European countries to recognize the state of Palestine… All of those things together were leading the leadership of Hamas to conclude that they didn’t need to agree to a ceasefire, they just needed to hold out for a little bit longer, and they could get what they always wanted,” he said. “And maybe a widening of the war where Hezbollah could come in, where Iran could come in.”

He confirmed that the Biden administration did stop the delivery of large 2,000-pound bombs to Israel in the spring of 2024. The reason, Miller said, was concern that Israel might not use them in a way that was “appropriate in Gaza.” He noted that this decision was later reversed by the Trump administration.

Reflecting on the period from late May 2024 to mid-January 2025, Miller expressed regret about the lack of stronger action from the U.S. to push for a ceasefire. “The thing that I look back on… is in that intervening period between the end of May [2024] and the middle of January [2025], when thousands of Palestinians, innocent civilians, were killed… was there more that we could have done to pressure the Israeli government to agree to that ceasefire? I think at times there probably was,” Miller said.

He concluded by pointing out that blame for stalled negotiations could not rest solely with Hamas. “Israel was not the only party to this negotiation. You saw Hamas repeatedly move the goalposts, but you saw [Prime Minister Netanyahu] move the goalposts as well, and I do think there are times we should’ve been tougher on them,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

New York City experienced the fewest shootings and murders ever recorded during the first five months of 2025, according to data released by Mayor Eric Adams and the NYPD. The mayor’s office credited a comprehensive crackdown on illegal firearms for the milestone.

From January through May, the city saw 264 shootings, marking a new historic low—beating the previous record of 267 during the same months in 2018, City Hall reported. The number of homicides during this period dropped to 112, slightly under the earlier lows of 113 in both 2014 and 2017.

“This is not just a statistical win—these numbers represent thousands of New Yorkers who are alive today and safer today, families who can sleep more soundly at night, and communities that are thriving because they know their city isn’t just coming back from the throes of the pandemic—it is back,” Adams said.

The mayor credited the drop in violence to a targeted law enforcement approach and the steady commitment of the NYPD. He emphasized that since taking office in 2021, the department has confiscated more than 22,000 illegal weapons, including ghost guns.

“Here’s how your mayor and your NYPD cops delivered the safest January-May for gun violence in New York City: three-plus years of relentlessly going after guns on our streets and a data-driven policing strategy that puts more cops in the right places at the right times to do what they do better than anyone else in the world,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “We will not let up.”

Tisch outlined the department’s next phase in curbing violence, which includes deploying 1,500 officers to foot patrols across 70 designated areas under a summer crime prevention plan. Meanwhile, the mayor spotlighted newer programs like the Quality of Life Division and Community Link, aimed at delivering broad support to struggling neighborhoods.

“Equally as important, these results reflect our focus on upstream solutions and our unprecedented investments in our young New Yorkers, because we know that preventing crime starts with providing opportunity to the next generation,” Adams said. “But let’s be clear: we are not even close to done. It’s not enough for New Yorkers to be safer—they must feel safer, too.”

{Matzav.com}

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D) appears to be issuing a warning that Democrats intend to publicly reveal the identities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, including those who operate undercover. Jeffries indicated that Democrats are determined to expose these agents, stating that it would be done “no matter what it takes.”

At a recent press conference, Jeffries expressed his party’s intent to uncover the names of ICE agents who apprehend and deport illegal immigrants, many of whom have criminal convictions, by enforcing federal immigration policies.

“Every single ICE agent who is engaged in this aggressive overreach and are trying to hide their identities from the American people will be unsuccessful in doing that,” Jeffries said.
“This is America. This is not the Soviet Union. We’re not behind the iron curtain. This is not the 1930s. And every single one of them, no matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes will of course be identified.”
“That is in fact the law and we’re going to make sure that the American people have the transparency necessary to hold people accountable when they’re folks who cross the line here in America. That’s what’s going to happen.”

These remarks by Jeffries, along with other controversial statements from Democrats, come at a time when ICE officers are facing unprecedented levels of physical attacks while trying to do their jobs.

According to recent figures from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), there has been a dramatic surge in the number of assaults on ICE agents, with reports showing a 413% increase in such incidents over the past several months.

Adding to the rhetoric, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) recently described ICE as “Trump’s modern Gestapo,” invoking a disturbing comparison to Adolf Hitler’s Nazi-era secret police.

President Trump issued a new proclamation on Wednesday that bans foreign nationals from a dozen nations from coming into the United States, citing threats to national security as the reason behind the decision.

“I have determined to fully restrict and limit the entry of nationals of the following 12 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen,” the president wrote in the order.

In addition to the full bans, the administration has also chosen to implement more limited entry restrictions on citizens from seven other nations, which include Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

“These restrictions distinguish between, but apply to both, the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants,” read the proclamation.