Matzav

Saudi Arabia has no interest at present in formalizing relations with Israel, and any such shift would require a fundamental change in Israel’s conduct, according to Prince Turki al-Faisal, the kingdom’s former intelligence chief.

In a rare interview with Israeli media published Sunday, Prince Turki told The Times of Israel that normalization is not on the table under current circumstances. “Saudi Arabia is not considering a normalization deal with Israel. Should Israel become a normal country with normal acceptance of international law, then Saudi Arabia will consider normalization,” he said.

The comments underscored how distant Riyadh remains from establishing ties with Israel, despite sustained efforts by Washington to expand the Abraham Accords framework. Although Prince Turki no longer holds office, his views are widely seen as aligned with Saudi Arabia’s official position, even if he often voices them in blunter terms.

Prince Turki headed Saudi Arabia’s General Intelligence Directorate from 1979 to 2001 and later served as ambassador to the United Kingdom and the United States. Since leaving public office, he has remained active in foreign policy discourse and currently chairs the King Faisal Foundation’s Center for Research and Islamic Studies.

Saudi officials typically avoid direct engagement with Israeli outlets, making the interview itself unusual. Asked to spell out Riyadh’s conditions for normalizing relations, Prince Turki rejected claims of ambiguity between Saudi references to a Palestinian state and talk of a mere “pathway” toward one.

“Realizing the two-state solution requires a serious and trusted pathway that leads to the end goal, which is a viable Palestinian state as envisioned by the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002 and the vision of peace presented for a final settlement of this protracted conflict in that initiative,” he said.

That initiative, endorsed by Saudi Arabia, calls for an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 lines and a negotiated resolution to the refugee issue — parameters long rejected by successive Israeli governments.

“Normalizing ties with Israel was conditioned by reaching that final and fair solution to the Palestinian cause,” Prince Turki continued. “Therefore, Saudi statements on a ‘pathway’ mean the need for a reliable peaceful process that leads to [that] final solution, with the understanding that such a process requires involvement of many international and regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, to engage in such a process.”

Reflecting on past diplomatic efforts, he cited the period following the 1991 Madrid Peace Conference, when Saudi Arabia and other Arab states engaged in negotiations. “Alas, all went in vain. Israel was not ready to pay the price of peace. The man of peace in Israel at the time was assassinated and his partner from the Palestinian side was poisoned,” he said, referring to former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yasser Arafat.

Israel has denied Palestinian claims that Arafat was poisoned, and multiple international investigations have not definitively concluded that his 2004 death was caused by poisoning.

The remarks come as the Trump administration seeks to revive momentum for Saudi-Israeli normalization and hopes Riyadh will eventually join the Abraham Accords, brokered in 2020 between Israel and several Arab states.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, however, dampened expectations during a recent White House visit, saying, “We want to be part of the Abraham Accords, but we want also to be sure that [we] secure a clear path [toward a] two-state solution.”

Saudi officials have since added qualifiers to that demand, including that the process be “time-bound” and “irreversible.” Prince Turki argued that Israel’s current leadership makes such assurances implausible.

“Unfortunately, with the ruling mentality in Israel nowadays, every step toward peace is reversible and not ‘time-bound,’” he said, accusing the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of blocking Palestinian statehood.

He pointed to Israeli military actions in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as operations in Syria and Lebanon, and accused Israel of reversing commitments related to ceasefires and the Abraham Accords. “Israeli aggressive behavior in the region — in Gaza and the West Bank, in Syria, in Lebanon — reversing on the commitments to the ceasefire during Gaza war and reversing its verbal commitment to the Abraham Accords about not changing the status on the ground, along with the statements on Biblical Greater Israel do not call for trust in Israel,” he said.

Prince Turki added that trust would require Israel to adhere to international norms. “Gaining trust requires Israel to conduct itself according to rules and norms of international law and the resolutions of the UN Security Council and abide by them,” he said.

Asked whether rejecting normalization risks damaging relations with US President Donald Trump, Prince Turki dismissed the idea that Riyadh would bend under pressure. “Saudi Arabia bases its foreign policy on its own national interests, not according to the wishes and pressures of others,” he said.

He also denied reports that Saudi Arabia had been close to normalizing ties with Israel before Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack. “All the speculation about normalization before Oct. 7 was out of wishful thinking on the part of mostly Israeli or American pro-Israeli sources,” he said, reiterating that “there is no normalization without a peaceful resolution to the Palestinian issue that entails the two-state solution.”

Addressing claims that weakening Iran and its proxies might incentivize closer Saudi-Israeli cooperation, Prince Turki said there was no benefit in engaging with an Israel that has not accepted peaceful coexistence. “There is no strategic benefit for Saudi Arabia’s normalization with Israel that is not yet a normal country that is peaceful and lives with its neighbors according to rules and norms of natural relationships between countries,” he said.

He also rejected arguments that corruption or dysfunction within the Palestinian Authority excuses the lack of progress. “I believe Israel is responsible for the failure of the PA, since Israel is in control of all aspects of life in the Palestinian territories,” he said. “Therefore, the failure of the PA is not a justification to avoid the real issues of peace.”

Prince Turki concluded by saying that any future Israeli leader seeking peace with Saudi Arabia would need to embrace a two-state framework. “Whoever succeeds Netanyahu should accept the two-state solution. That is for the Israeli people to decide.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s political system moved a step closer this week toward establishing a new investigative body to probe the failures surrounding the Hamas assault of October 7, 2023, after a ministerial panel endorsed controversial legislation redefining how such a commission would be formed.

The bill, a private proposal sponsored by Likud MK Ariel Kallner, passed the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Monday and is slated for a preliminary vote in the Knesset plenum on Wednesday. Unlike a traditional state commission of inquiry, whose members are appointed by the president of the Supreme Court, the proposed framework would place the power of selection in the hands of the Knesset.

Under the bill’s provisions, commissioners would be approved by a supermajority of at least 80 lawmakers. Should the opposition refuse to cooperate, the coalition and opposition would each be entitled to appoint an equal number of members. If the opposition fully boycotts the process, however, the authority to select the entire panel would fall to the Knesset speaker, Likud MK Amir Ohana.

At the committee meeting earlier in the day, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu laid out what he believes the scope of any investigation into October 7 must include. According to a government source, Netanyahu argued that the inquiry cannot be confined to immediate operational failures but must examine decisions and developments stretching back decades, “from Oslo, through to the [Gaza] Disengagement, and up to [reserve duty] refusal.”

His reference to “refusal” alluded to threats made in 2023 by some opponents of the government’s judicial overhaul, who said they would stop reporting for IDF reserve service in protest.

In a video statement released later Monday, Netanyahu defended the idea of a specially constituted commission, saying that a catastrophe on the scale of October 7 demands an exceptional mechanism. He compared the proposal to the special US commission formed after the September 11, 2001, attacks.

“No one then complained about political bias, and I must say that its conclusions received broad legitimacy precisely for this reason. That is exactly what we are doing,” he said.

Netanyahu insisted that alternatives would lack broad public confidence. “The government could have established a governmental review committee, whose entire composition would be determined solely by the government,” he said, adding that such a body would only be trusted by part of the public. He then rejected an opposition-backed model in which appointments would be made exclusively by Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit, arguing it would similarly enjoy the confidence of only a narrow segment of society.

“I say to the opposition: Go ahead — bring whatever experts you want, ask whatever questions you want, investigate whomever you want — including me,” the prime minister said. “All issues will be examined, without exception. The political, the security, the intelligence, the legal — everything.”

Despite those assurances, polling consistently shows broad public support for a classic state commission of inquiry, whether appointed solely by Amit or jointly with his conservative deputy, Noam Sohlberg — options Netanyahu has firmly ruled out.

The proposal drew internal criticism even within the coalition. Ze’ev Elkin, a minister in the Finance Ministry, was the lone vote against the bill in the ministerial committee. Elkin warned that the clause empowering the Knesset speaker to appoint commissioners in the event of an opposition boycott would effectively turn the panel into a government-appointed body, something already permitted under existing law.

Opposition figures responded with sharp denunciations, accusing the government of trying to avoid accountability for the October 7 failures. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid said the initiative was designed to “bury the truth” and deceive the public.

“Those directly responsible for the disaster will appoint a cover-up commission whose sole purpose is to clear them of guilt. It will not help them. They are guilty,” Lapid said. He went on to call the proposed body “a death certificate for the truth,” warning that political control would allow testimony to be distorted, evidence undermined, and the public misled.

Democrats party chairman Yair Golan echoed that criticism, describing the effort as “a pathetic attempt to engineer a political investigation” and saying it amounted to an admission of guilt.

Netanyahu’s comments about Oslo and the Gaza disengagement also revived scrutiny of his own past record. As finance minister under Ariel Sharon, he voted repeatedly in favor of measures advancing the 2005 withdrawal from Gaza, before resigning days ahead of its implementation in protest. And while he opposed the Oslo Accords before their signing, he did not move to dismantle them during his terms as prime minister, later endorsing and partially implementing further agreements such as the Hebron Protocol and the Wye River Memorandum.

{Matzav.com}

Traffic along key arteries near Bnei Brak was brought to a standstill on Monday as members of the Peleg Yerushalmi daction, affiliated with Rav Tzvi Friedman’s community, demonstrated against the detention of young chareidi men accused of failing to present themselves for military service.

During the protest, demonstrators blocked Route 4 and Jabotinsky Road for several hours, creating major disruptions and leading to direct confrontations with police officers deployed to the scene.

As tensions escalated, a police commander formally announced that the gathering constituted an illegal assembly and warned participants to disperse. Protesters refused to comply, continuing to obstruct the roadway.

Police ultimately resorted to force to clear the area. In response, some demonstrators shouted “Nazis” at the officers. One protester was taken into custody on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.

{Matzav.com}

A second round of direct, civilian-level negotiations between Israel and Lebanon concluded Friday in the southern Lebanese town of Naqoura, underscoring sharp disagreements over border arrangements, visible American pressure on Israel, and the notable absence of France, according to a report by Al-Monitor.

The talks were led by US Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus and brought together senior officials from Israel, Lebanon, and the United States. The Israeli delegation included Deputy National Security Council chief Yossi Draznin and Uri Reznik, a senior figure in the council’s Foreign Policy Division. Lebanon was represented by former Ambassador to the United States Simon Karam, who was accompanied by a military officer. Also in attendance was US Gen. Joseph Clearfield, head of the Mechanism created to supervise the ceasefire.

One of the most striking aspects of the meeting was the absence of France, despite its formal role within the Mechanism. Al-Monitor reported that French Ambassador to Lebanon Herve Magro sought to attend the talks but was rejected by both Washington and Jerusalem. Israeli officials reportedly made clear that France’s inclusion would prompt Israel to withdraw altogether. While French sources denied that any official request to attend had been submitted, they acknowledged that no French civilian representative participated.

The report linked France’s exclusion to growing strains between Israel and Paris. These tensions have been fueled by disputes over President Emmanuel Macron’s diplomatic initiatives and French criticism of Israel’s military conduct in Gaza and Lebanon. Although Israel initially viewed French engagement with Lebanese actors as potentially beneficial in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, officials later worked to curtail France’s involvement as relations worsened.

Substantive differences between Israel and Lebanon also surfaced during the discussions. Lebanese representatives focused primarily on enabling the return of civilians displaced from southern villages since fighting erupted in October 2023. Israel, by contrast, pressed for the establishment of an economic or security zone along the border, which it considers necessary to prevent attacks by Hezbollah.

Israeli officials emphasized that Israel has no territorial or maritime ambitions in Lebanon and portrayed the proposed zone as a strictly defensive measure. Lebanese officials declined to endorse the idea, arguing that creating an uninhabited zone would constitute forced displacement and violate Lebanese sovereignty. Karam reportedly maintained that the return of civilians must come before any conversation about economic or security frameworks.

According to Al-Monitor, Ortagus also relayed American concerns to the Israeli side regarding civilian casualties caused by Israeli strikes in Lebanon, cautioning that such incidents complicate efforts to stabilize the border area. Lebanese officials, for their part, pressed Israel to recognize actions taken by the Lebanese Armed Forces south of the Litani River since the ceasefire, including the dismantling of unauthorized military sites and the expansion of troop deployments.

Israeli representatives were described as cautiously receptive to acknowledging these Lebanese measures, while stressing that sustained enforcement would be essential. Another round of talks is scheduled to take place on Jan. 7.

{Matzav.com}

The levayah of Harav Mattisyahu HaKohen Katz zt”l, one of the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Binyan Olam, took place in Yerushalayim on Monday, Zos Chanukah, following his petirah at the age of 86.

Rav Katz was born on the 12th of Teves, 5700, to his father, Rav Meir Yosef HaKohen Katz, and his mother, Mrs. Tzipporah Katz. From a young age, he immersed himself in Torah with exceptional diligence and depth, becoming known as a devoted and beloved talmid to his rabbeim. He studied with great hasmadah in the yeshivos of Ponevezh and Mir, where he distinguished himself through profound iyun and clarity in learning.

Upon reaching marriageable age, he married the daughter of Rav Ephraim Lerman.

A towering figure of yiras Shamayim, Rav Katz devoted his life to Torah and chinuch. Over the years, he raised generations of talmidim while serving in prominent teaching roles at Yeshivas Kol Torah, Ohr Somayach, Beis HaTalmud, and Maoros HaTorah. He later served as one of the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Binyan Olam in Yerushalayim.

Renowned for his humility and gentleness, he dedicated himself selflessly to guiding students, drawing them close to avodas Hashem, and instilling in them precision in halachah and mitzvah observance. He was especially known for his exceptional care in shemiras halashon, setting a personal example that left a lasting impression on all who encountered him.

The levayah departed at midday on Zos Chanukah from the Beis Medrash Beis Yisrael in the Ezras Torah neighborhood of Yerushalayim, accompanied by large crowds, and proceeded to Har HaMenuchos, where he was laid to rest.

The family is sitting shivah at his home, 3 Dovav Meisharim Street.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Rabbi Uri Lupolianski, the widely respected chessed leader, founder and chairman of Yad Sarah, and former mayor of Yerushalayim, has been hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem.

According to reports, Rabbi Lupolianski, 74, was admitted after developing a severe case of pneumonia accompanied by breathing difficulties. He is currently receiving medical treatment and is in need of significant rachamei Shomayim.

Rabbi Lupolianski, who battled serious illness in the past and recovered with great siyata d’Shmaya, went on to continue leading the life’s work he established, building Yad Sarah into one of Israel’s largest and most impactful chessed organizations, providing medical equipment and support to hundreds of thousands annually.

All are asked to daven for Uri ben Malka.

{Matzav.com}

In a radio interview aired Monday morning, Jonathan Pollard spoke candidly about what he described as devastating treatment by Israeli authorities while he was incarcerated in the United States, saying he felt abandoned at the very moment he expected support.

According to Pollard, the most shocking episode involved a direct conversation with an Israeli representative who, he claims, urged him to end his life in order to resolve the affair. Pollard said the comment was made to him personally and left him shaken and confused.

Recalling the exchange, Pollard said: “As disappointed as the Israeli government was with the situation, there was no need to send someone to me to tell me to kill myself. It would have been better if the Israeli government had come to defend me, instead of denying the obvious. What was done to me was simply terrible.”

Pollard went on to explain how the message was framed, recounting the words he says were spoken to him: “They came and said to me: You’re a patriot, right? So why are you making all of us suffer so much? Why don’t you just do the right thing? We’ll bring you home, give you a respectable burial, and we’ll be able to close this file. And I didn’t understand what he meant.”

He said the incident might have taken a tragic turn were it not for the intervention of an American official who, Pollard claims, urged him to hold on. Describing that moment, Pollard said: “Then it was the American who looked at me and said: You must not do this. You have to live, and you will return home one day. The American said it to me-you will return home one day.”

The remarks were made during an interview on Galai Tzahal, where Pollard expressed lasting pain and resentment over what he characterized as years of neglect and damaging conduct by the Israeli government during his imprisonment.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Finance Ministry is moving ahead with a change that will sharply raise the ceiling for VAT-free personal imports, with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich slated to approve the measure on Tuesday.

Once signed, the directive will be formally recorded in the government’s official registry and will come into force overnight, between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Under the new rules, the exemption threshold will increase from $75 to $150, a move that is expected to open the door for Israelis to order a far wider array of goods from overseas sellers, especially via major international e-commerce platforms such as Amazon.

The higher limit is also projected to lower the effective cost of online shopping from abroad, since buyers will be able to consolidate more items into a single shipment without triggering value-added tax.

Officials anticipate that the change will intensify competition within the domestic market, broaden consumer options, and exert downward pressure on prices of comparable products already available in Israel.

{Matzav.com}

Mediators working on the Gaza ceasefire have forwarded to Israel a draft proposal outlining the creation of a technocratic authority that would be responsible for governing the Gaza Strip, according to sources cited by Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath.

The sources indicated that the United States is holding intensive discussions with the mediators ahead of what is expected to be a near-term announcement on establishing an international force tied to the ceasefire framework. They added that an upcoming meeting in Florida between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to play a key role in shaping decisions related to the second phase of the Gaza agreement.

Separately, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday that Turkey expects the second stage of the ceasefire to begin in early 2026. His comments came after talks held earlier in the week in Miami with officials from the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.

At a press conference in Damascus, Fidan explained that the discussions centered on barriers that have so far prevented the agreement from moving forward to its next phase.

Meanwhile, the United States Department of State rejected claims that Washington had agreed to provide $60 billion for Gaza’s reconstruction. In a statement, the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs said reports published by The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times were incorrect, emphasizing that a plan attributed to President Trump does not include any such funding commitment.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli police confirmed that an investigation remains underway after a disturbing incident at a Tel Aviv shopping mall in which Chanukah neiros were deliberately put out, prompting allegations of an offense against religious sensitivities.

After being questioned by authorities, the two suspects were released subject to restrictive conditions. Law enforcement officials said they are continuing to probe the circumstances surrounding the act and are working to determine what motivated it.

הרב טל גומברג, שליח חב"ד באיכילוב, הדליק את הנרות ביד אוהבת –
החצופה כיבתה!
מזעזע!!
קניון וייצמן סיטי צמוד לאיכילוב היום pic.twitter.com/nMU9RvTDHz

— שרי רוט (Sari Rot) (@sari_rot) December 18, 2025

The case centers on a video that circulated on Instagram, showing a teenage girl walking through the mall alongside a relative. The footage captures her deliberately approaching a lit menorah and blowing out its candles, while the young man accompanying her appears to clap in approval.

Following the circulation of the video, police launched a formal inquiry and summoned both individuals for questioning. The girl involved in the act is 17 years old, while the accompanying family member is 19.

In an INSS interview, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Washington’s objectives in Gaza remain aligned with Israel’s, emphasizing that Hamas cannot retain power or weapons if reconstruction is to move forward. Referencing President Donald Trump’s peace framework, he argued that rebuilding is incompatible with Hamas’ continued control. “If you don’t get rid of Hamas, then how are you going to rebuild?” he asked, adding that delays only give the terror group time to regroup.

He said President Trump has been clear that Hamas “will have no future in Gaza” and must disarm and release all hostages, warning that hesitation strengthens the organization rather than weakening it.

Speaking separately about Israel’s northern arena, Huckabee said he believes an arrangement with Syria is achievable, though he avoided offering specifics. He said Damascus understands that long-term stability depends on peaceful relations with Israel and borders that prevent future attacks.

On Lebanon, the ambassador acknowledged that the Lebanese Armed Forces currently lack the strength to confront Hezbollah on their own. He said Israel cannot step back while Hezbollah continues to receive Iranian backing, but expressed hope that responsibility can gradually shift as Lebanese state institutions become stronger.

Turning to military cooperation, Huckabee reiterated that the United States remains committed by law to preserving Israel’s qualitative military edge. He said Washington hopes to make early progress on renewing the next 10-year Memorandum of Understanding and highlighted the mutual benefits of defense cooperation, noting Israel’s operational use of advanced American systems.

In a broader discussion with the Institute for National Security Studies, Huckabee said Iran continues to pose a central national security challenge, stressing that President Trump has left no ambiguity about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Asked about potential Israeli military action if Iran crosses nuclear or ballistic missile thresholds, he said such decisions rest with the White House, but pointed to the president’s repeated public stance. “He consistently has said Iran is never going to enrich uranium and they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon,” Huckabee said, noting that the position has not shifted since the recent conflict.

Huckabee warned that Iran’s efforts to rebuild its nuclear infrastructure threaten far more than Israel or the United States. He suggested Tehran may only recently have begun to take US warnings seriously. “Iran, I don’t know that they ever took him seriously until the night that the B-2 bombers went to Fordow,” he said. “I hope they got the message, but apparently they didn’t get the full message because … they appear to be trying to reconstitute and find a new way to dig the hole deeper, secure it more.”

He said the danger extends well beyond the Middle East. “This presents a real threat to all of Europe,” Huckabee said, arguing that failing to recognize that reality reflects a profound misunderstanding. He added that Iran has openly threatened Israel and the United States for decades, describing Israel as “the appetizer,” while its ultimate target remains America.

The ambassador also addressed the surge in antisemitism worldwide, pointing to attacks on Jewish communities and growing concerns inside the United States. He cited President Trump’s decision to appoint a special envoy to combat antisemitism as a signal of priorities. “It shows to some degree how much President Trump is trying to make this a priority,” Huckabee said.

Referring to anti-Israel chants heard on college campuses, Huckabee warned that many demonstrators do not grasp the meaning of the slogans they repeat. He said calls of “from the river to the sea” amount to advocating Israel’s destruction, including Judea and Samaria and the rest of the country.

Addressing the erosion of bipartisan support for Israel, Huckabee voiced concern about generational shifts, particularly among younger Americans. He attributed much of the change to social media, which he described as a major source of misinformation. “We have not downloaded the proper data, the correct, the true data into the minds of younger people,” he said.

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Vice President JD Vance used a recent conversation with UnHerd to lay out firm boundaries on race and religion in American politics, insisting that equal treatment under the law must remain nonnegotiable while warning that unchecked immigration can strain a shared national culture.

He dismissed arguments on the right calling for different legal standards based on ancestry, stressing that citizenship must confer the same rights and protections to everyone. At the same time, he said cultural continuity matters and acknowledged that overwhelming levels of immigration can test social cohesion.

Turning to racism more broadly, Vance said attention should be directed at what government actually enacts rather than focusing exclusively on incendiary online voices. He argued that while extremists may generate noise, policies backed by institutions and bureaucracy have real-world consequences, particularly when they explicitly discriminate.

Vance also said the prominence of figures like Nick Fuentes is often overstated by political actors who prefer to police speech on the right instead of engaging substantive debates within the Republican Party, including disputes over U.S. policy in the Middle East and America’s relationship with Israel. In his view, provocative rhetoric becomes a convenient diversion from harder conversations.

In that context, the vice president offered a clear denunciation of bigotry, saying, “Antisemitism and all forms of ethnic hatred have no place in the conservative movement.” He added that attacking people because of their race or religion is “disgusting.”

The interview also included an unambiguous personal line in the sand. Responding to attacks on his family, Vance directed a blunt message at critics across the political spectrum, stating, “Anyone who attacks my wife, whether their name is Jen Psaki or Nick Fuentes, can eat [garbage].” He added, “That’s my official policy as vice president of the United States.”

Fuentes, a white supremacist and Holocaust denier, has repeatedly targeted second lady Usha Vance with slurs and has labeled the vice president a “race traitor” because of his marriage.

Vance also addressed controversies surrounding conservative media figures, offering a forceful defense of Tucker Carlson. Speaking Friday, he said Carlson remains “a friend” and criticized what he called efforts to enforce ideological purity by declaring certain views out of bounds simply because they challenge long-standing bipartisan assumptions on foreign policy.

While conceding that disagreements exist, Vance said he will not “throw friends under the bus” to appease establishment figures. He framed the broader moment as one in which America’s political leadership ignored economic and cultural pressures for years and now expresses surprise when divisions deepen.

Throughout the discussion, the vice president rejected racial politics outright, arguing that if racism is wrong, public scrutiny should focus on laws and institutional practices rather than on who happens to be shouting the loudest online.

{Matzav.com}

StopAntisemitism announced that podcaster Tucker Carlson has been selected as its “Antisemite of the Year,” a label the Jewish civil rights organization said followed an internal vote that passed by a wide margin.

According to the group, the designation reflects what it views as Carlson’s repeated use of his platform to spotlight individuals it characterizes as antisemitic extremists. The organization said this recognition is meant as a condemnation, not an accolade, describing it as a “distinct dishonor” reserved for those it considers especially bigoted.

Liora Rez, the group’s founder and executive director, said in an interview that Carlson has conducted what she called “glowing interviews” with people who deny the Holocaust or espouse antisemitic views, thereby offering them significant exposure.

In explaining its decision, StopAntisemitism released a video statement saying, “Carlson has built a reputation for giving a platform to dangerous ideas, allowing guests to spread falsehoods and antisemitic narratives.” The group added, “He is obsessed with Israel, and repeats blatant lies about the Jewish state and its people.”

Carlson was chosen over two other finalists, mixed martial arts fighter Bryce Mitchell and conspiracy theorist Stew Peters. The organization also said that children’s podcaster Ms. Rachel and actress Cynthia Nixon appeared among its top ten vote-getters.

The announcement follows earlier criticism of Carlson by the group. In October, StopAntisemitism named him its “Antisemite of the Week,” a step that preceded his inclusion on the year-end list.

The group’s latest action also comes amid continued backlash over an interview Carlson conducted in October with white nationalist Nick Fuentes. Fuentes has promoted conspiracy theories alleging Jewish control of politics, media, and finance, denied the Holocaust, and advocated what he described as a “holy war” against Jews.

During that conversation, Fuentes told Carlson that he admired Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, whose regime implemented policies that discriminated against Jews. In the same interview, Carlson criticized “Christian Zionists” who support Israel, saying they had been “seized by this brain virus,” and he singled out former President George W. Bush, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

StopAntisemitism has also accused Carlson of helping normalize antisemitic ideas by amplifying the “great replacement” conspiracy theory and by directing rhetoric at pro-Israel Jewish conservatives that the group says echoes the “dual loyalty” trope.

Rez said that influential figures with large audiences can contribute to an atmosphere in which harassment and threats against Jews become more prevalent, even if they stop short of making explicitly antisemitic statements themselves.

In previous years, the organization has applied the same designation to other public figures, including the rapper Ye, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, and Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Last year, Candace Owens was named “Antisemite of the Year.”

Carlson has not publicly responded to the announcement.

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Rand Paul made clear Sunday that Vice President JD Vance would not have his support if the Republican presidential field takes shape in 2028.

Pressed directly during an appearance on This Week about whether that stance applied to Vance, Paul gave an unambiguous reply. Asked by host Jonathan Karl, “And that’s not JD Vance?” Paul answered simply, “No.”

Paul’s remarks came as he reflected on what he sees as a shrinking commitment within the GOP to long-standing conservative economic principles. He said he intends to keep pushing for a free-market faction inside the party, even as others move in a different direction. “So I’m going to continue to try to lead a conservative free-market wing in the party, and we’ll see where things lead over time,” Paul said.

During the interview, Paul pointed to his ongoing disagreement with the Trump administration’s tariff and trade agenda as a central reason for his resistance to elevating Vance as a future standard-bearer. He argued that free trade, limited government, and low taxes have been pushed aside in recent years. “I think there needs to be representatives in the Republican Party who still believe international trade is good, who still believe in free market capitalism, who still believe in low taxes,” Paul said, responding to suggestions that Vance is widely viewed as a leading contender for the next election cycle.

The Kentucky senator also contrasted today’s policy debates with earlier ideological divides, saying fiscal restraint once defined conservative thinking. “It used to separate conservatives and liberals that conservatives thought it was a spending problem — we didn’t want less revenue, we wanted less spending,” Paul said.

He went on to criticize Republicans who now champion tariffs, arguing that such policies amount to tax increases that run counter to conservative doctrine. “But now all these pro-tariff protectionists, they love taxes. And so they tax, tax, tax, and then they brag about all the revenue coming in,” Paul continued. “That has never been a conservative position.”

While many Republicans still voice support for smaller government and lower taxes, Paul has been among the few willing to openly challenge the president on trade policy and oppose major legislation on fiscal grounds. He voted against the administration’s flagship domestic package, citing concerns that it would add to the national debt, and said those disagreements would shape his approach to the party’s future leadership.

{Matzav.com}

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese moved Monday to address mounting anger within the Jewish community, issuing a public apology following intense criticism over his handling of rising antisemitism in the country.

The apology came a day after Albanese was met with loud boos while attending a vigil commemorating the 15 people murdered in the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, carried out during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration. The hostile reaction reflected deep frustration among mourners who say the government failed to stem escalating antisemitic violence.

Speaking after the event, Albanese acknowledged the fury directed at him and said he understood why emotions boiled over. “Emotions were raw, and a lot of people in the community are hurting and angry, and some of that anger was directed towards me, and I understand that,” he said.

He went on to connect the tragedy directly to his leadership, stating, “As prime minister, I feel the weight of responsibility for an atrocity that happened while I’m prime minister.”

In a separate expression of regret, Albanese added, “And I’m sorry for what the Jewish community and our nation as a whole has experienced.”

The prime minister has been under heavy fire since last week’s massacre, with critics accusing his center-left government of allowing antisemitism to spiral since the outbreak of the war in Gaza. Jewish leaders and community figures have argued that repeated warnings were ignored.

In response to the attack, Albanese announced the launch of a formal review into Australia’s law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The inquiry will be led by a former head of the country’s national spy service and will examine whether federal police and intelligence bodies have the “right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe.”

Despite the announcement, Jewish leaders have pushed for a full royal commission — the strongest form of inquiry under Australian law — to probe the failures surrounding the attack.

Albanese rejected that approach, arguing that a targeted review would allow the government to act more quickly. “The … review will enable action to take place,” he said.

He emphasized that the goal was immediate accountability and reform, adding, “What we want to do is, if there are any holes, any findings, any actions that are required, we want that to occur.”

{Matzav.com}

Kerry Kennedy escalated her criticism of President Donald Trump, publicly calling for his name to be removed from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts once he leaves office. In posts shared on X and Instagram, Kennedy pledged dramatic action to reverse the decision.

“Three years and one month from today, I’m going to grab a pickax and pull those letters of that building,” she wrote.

She followed up with another post inviting supporters to join her effort, adding, “But I’m going to need help holding the ladder. Are you in? Apply for my carpenter’s card today, so it’ll be a union job!!!.”

The naming decision has drawn sharp criticism from several Democrats and members of the Kennedy family. Among those objecting was JFK’s niece Maria Shriver, along with multiple Democratic lawmakers, all of whom argue that placing Trump’s name on the building violates federal law.

“The Kennedy Center was named by law. To change the name would require a revision of that 1964 law,” Ray Smock, a former House historian, told the Associated Press. “The Kennedy Center board is not a lawmaking entity. Congress makes laws.”

Congress designated the performing arts complex as a living memorial to President Kennedy in 1964, a year after his assassination. The statute explicitly bars the board of trustees from transforming the center into a memorial for anyone else or placing another individual’s name on the exterior of the building.

Despite those objections, Trump’s name was added after the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees — reportedly selected by Trump — voted unanimously in favor of the change. Officials at the Kennedy Center said the vote was intended to acknowledge Trump’s efforts to revitalize the institution.

Kennedy expanded her attack a day earlier with a separate post on X sharply criticizing Trump and his administration. She wrote: “President Trump and his administration have spent the past year repressing free expression, targeting artists, journalists, and comedians, and erasing the history of Americans whose contributions made our nation better and more just.”

She contrasted that record with the legacy of her uncle, writing: “President Kennedy proudly stood for justice, peace, equality, dignity, diversity, and compassion for those who suffer. President Trump stands in opposition to these values, and his name should not be placed alongside President Kennedy’s.”

Kerry Kennedy is the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, who served as a U.S. senator and attorney general. Her brother, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., currently serves as Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Trump administration and has not commented publicly on the controversy surrounding the Kennedy Center’s name.

{Matzav.com}

A growing trend in recent years of placing handwritten notes with personal requests inside or beneath the Chanukah menorah—particularly on Zos Chanukah—is coming under sharp criticism from rabbinic figures, who say the practice has no source, no tradition, and no basis in Torah.

The practice, widely circulated each year on social media and various websites, claims that one should write a note beginning with the verse “Min hameitzar karasi Kah, anani bamerchav Kah,” add one’s name and mother’s name, list personal requests, and then place the note in the menorah after the candles go out. According to the claim, the note is left there until the following Chanukah, when it is opened to see whether the requests were fulfilled.

Rabbinic authorities say the so-called segulah is entirely fabricated.

Rav Chaim Fuchs, head of the Segulas Emes Institute, addressed the phenomenon this week, calling the practice “nonsensical” and stressing that it has no connection to authentic Jewish tradition. He said the idea was invented only in recent years and falsely presented as a spiritual tool. “If a person asks Hashem sincerely, Hashem can answer,” he said, emphasizing that the power lies in tefillah itself, not in placing slips of paper in ritual objects.

Concerns have grown as variations of the practice have emerged, including suggestions to place notes in Pesach utensils after the Yom Tov or even inside the oil cups of the menorah from night to night. Rabbinic figures warn that such trends risk shifting people’s faith away from tefillah and toward superstition, creating the impression that salvation comes from a mechanical act rather than a relationship with Hashem.

Years ago, Rav Reuven Zakaim, head of the Zichron Yaakov Beis Medrash for Halachah and Dayanus, wrote a detailed critique of the practice. He said he researched the matter extensively and found no mention of such a segulah in any authoritative sefer, nor any record of it being taught or endorsed by recognized Torah leaders. “It is entirely new,” he wrote, adding that it was unheard of throughout Jewish history, even dating back to the miracle of the oil itself.

Rav Zakaim acknowledged that while there may not be a formal halachic prohibition against placing a note in a menorah, the practice should not be attributed any spiritual significance. He warned against confusing the essentials of avodas Hashem with practices that lack any authentic source. He cited the irony noted by earlier gedolim that if mitzvos themselves were written up as segulos, people might be more meticulous in observing them.

The issue was also addressed this past week by writer Reb Dovid Daman in the Hebrew Mishpacha magazine. He expressed sympathy for those who followed the practice last year and were left disappointed when their hopes were not realized. Rather than doubling down on an invented ritual, he urged readers to replace it with meaningful tefillah, suggesting the recitation of the entire Sefer Tehillim on Zos Chanukah.

“I don’t promise salvations,” he wrote. “By Hashem, no one stands with a stopwatch. But Tehillim—especially the full sefer recited without interruption—is always a powerful and holy segulah. Tefillos do not return empty.”

Daman said the trend highlights how quickly unfounded practices can spread, especially among people searching desperately for yeshuah. He recounted being offered yet another “new segulah” this year involving placing a request note inside a cup of oil, calling it further proof that such ideas proliferate without restraint.

{Matzav.com}

The Belzer Rebbe addressed the challenges facing Torah learners during his Seudah Shlishis on Shabbos Chanukah, speaking before tens of thousands of chassidim who spent Shabbos in his presence.

In his divrei Torah, the Rebbe reflected on the current period as one of hester — spiritual concealment — and spoke about the decrees directed against those devoted to Torah study. Drawing on the parsha, he explained that Yosef HaTzaddik, during his exile in Mitzrayim, laid the spiritual groundwork that enabled later generations to endure exile. That preparation, the Rebbe said, empowered Klal Yisroel to survive not only the Egyptian exile but future exiles as well.

“Even in our times, everything is in concealment,” the Rebbe said. “There is an inner exile and an outer exile, similar to what existed in Mitzrayim. Then, Klal Yisroel was redeemed through Aharon HaKohen and Moshe Rabbeinu. Today as well, the power of Torah is what sustains us, and in the end, Hashem will help, and it will become clear that it is only the Torah learned by Bnei Yisroel in exile that keeps them standing.”

The Rebbe further connected these themes to the miracle of Chanukah, noting that even when Klal Yisroel was in a lowly and weakened state — akin to exile, despite the Beis Hamikdash still standing — it was the Kohanim who elevated the nation and drew them closer to Hashem.

“So too in our exile,” he said, “the hand of Hashem stands by Bnei Yisroel, and He illuminates the darkness, just as at the time of the miracle, through the study of Torah Shebichsav and Torah Shebaal Peh.”

{Matzav.com}

An extraordinary medical and spiritual story from Yerushalayim has resurfaced, as a prominent physician from Har Nof—once declared beyond hope—continues his recovery after what many are describing as nothing short of techias hameisim.

Yerushalayim’s Har Nof neighborhood is accustomed to the steady stream of visitors arriving at the home of the renowned posek, Rav Moshe Sternbuch, where daily audiences draw individuals seeking guidance and brachah. In recent days, however, the atmosphere there was markedly different, as songs of praise and thanksgiving filled the residence during a rare and emotional gathering marking a dramatic medical recovery that has stirred the city.

The gathering marked the visit of a well-known Har Nof physician who, nearly two years ago, was considered clinically “dead” by medical standards. During the COVID period, the doctor suffered a severe stroke after being infected with the virus, leaving him unconscious and in a vegetative state. Physicians told the family with certainty that there were “zero chances” of recovery, with one doctor reportedly stating that it would have been better had he passed away, as there was no hope he would ever awaken.

The full account was related by Reb Daniel Travis, a rosh kollel and close talmid of Rav Sternbuch, who served as the family’s emissary. Rav Travis explained that members of his kollel undertook daily tefillos on the patient’s behalf, maintaining the effort without interruption for a year and a half.

Eventually, family members raised a halachic concern, arguing that the patient was effectively considered dead and that continued tefillah might constitute praying for a miracle, which is generally not permitted. Rav Travis brought the question directly to Rav Sternbuch, seeking a clear halachic ruling.

After listening carefully and inquiring in detail about the medical circumstances for several minutes, Rav Sternbuch reflected deeply before delivering a decisive response. He ruled that continued tefillah was entirely permitted and encouraged, explaining that contemporary medical advancements leave room for recovery through natural means. He instructed Rav Travis to continue the tefillos and assured him that they would yet see a great yeshuah.

Rav Travis conveyed the ruling to the family, reinforcing Rav Sternbuch’s words that hope had not been lost. Remarkably, the very next day, the patient suddenly regained consciousness. He began communicating, speaking, and gradually recovering, in a development that doctors reportedly could not explain and for which there was no known medical precedent.

Rav Travis recounts receiving an emotional phone call from the patient himself, who wished to express gratitude for the brachah delivered through Rav Sternbuch. Hearing the voice of someone who had been considered dead left Rav Travis stunned, though he said he was not surprised after the clear ruling and assurance he had received from his rebbi.

In the weeks that followed, the recovering doctor was even seen at times learning in Rabbi Sternbuch’s beis medrash. When he first entered, those present reportedly looked on in disbelief as the man they believed had passed away stood on his own two feet.

Although the core events occurred nearly two years ago, the story is only now being widely publicized, as the doctor—now significantly stronger—recently returned to Rav Sternbuch’s home to formally express his gratitude. Overcome with emotion, he asked Rav Travis to recount the full story publicly.

To conclude, Rav Travis shared an additional insight that sheds light on Rav Sternbuch’s approach. He recalled witnessing a case years earlier in which Rav Sternbuch initially declined to issue a halachic ruling granting a young man success in finding a shidduch, only to do so months later. Within three weeks of that ruling, the young man became engaged.

When Rav Travis later asked whether a halachic ruling can truly determine future outcomes, Rav Sternbuch replied that he had received this tradition from Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer: when a genuine posek issues a ruling in this world, it is accepted in the Heavenly court as well and can draw down yeshuos.

{Matzav.com}