Matzav

New information has surfaced about the deadly terrorist attack that struck Sydney during the lighting of the first Hanukkah candle, where 15 members of the Jewish community were murdered. Australia’s ABC network disclosed additional findings that shed light on how the assault was planned and executed.

Court records indicate that the perpetrators conducted reconnaissance at Bondi Beach on December 12, two days before the massacre. Australian authorities described this surveillance as the final step in their preparations ahead of the attack.

According to the report, the two terrorists had trained in advance and even filmed themselves before the assault. In the recording, they appeared alongside ISIS flags, carrying multiple weapons and offering what was described as a video in which they “justified” the attack.

Investigators further revealed that during the assault, the attackers hurled four explosive devices into the crowd — three pipe bombs and an additional object shaped like a tennis ball. None of the devices detonated.

One of the attackers, Sajid Akram, was shot and killed at the scene. His son, Navid, survived the attack, was later released from the hospital, and taken into custody. Prosecutors have since filed an indictment against him listing 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder.

One week after the massacre, thousands gathered at Bondi Beach for a memorial vigil and the lighting of the eighth Hanukkah candle. The ceremony took place amid extensive security measures, with hundreds of police officers deployed, along with mounted units and snipers.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the vigil but was greeted with loud boos from the crowd. Protesters shouted accusations at him, including, “Shame, supporter of jihad-you do not represent Australia.”

During the gathering, leaders and members of the Jewish community publicly called for the creation of a formal commission of inquiry into the attack. They pointed to a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents in recent years and emphasized the need for a federal-level investigation to examine the circumstances surrounding the massacre.

{Matzav.com}

Federal authorities are rolling out a $3,000 “Holiday Stipend” aimed at persuading illegal immigrants to leave the United States voluntarily during the X-mas season. Officials argue the incentive is a modest outlay compared with the expense of locating, detaining, and deporting migrants.

The initiative comes as illegal immigrants face mounting financial strain, including job losses and housing pressures, linked to President Donald Trump’s stepped-up enforcement of the country’s widely supported immigration laws.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the temporary increase in incentives, warning that the offer expires at year’s end. “During the X-mas Season, the U.S. taxpayer is so generously TRIPLING the incentive to leave voluntarily for those in this country illegally — offering a $3,000 exit bonus, but just until the end of the year,” she said. “Illegal aliens should take advantage of this gift and self-deport because if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return.”

According to the Department of Homeland Security, voluntary departures have already reached significant levels this year. “Since January 2025, 1.9 million illegal aliens have voluntarily self-deported, and tens of thousands have used the CBP Home program,” the agency said.

DHS officials also promoted the CBP Home app as the preferred method for leaving the country. The agency stated: “Self-deportation through the CBP Home app is the best gift that an illegal alien can give themselves and their families this holiday season. It’s a fast, free, and easy process: Just download the app, fill out your information, and DHS will take care of the rest — including arranging and paying for your travel back home. The government added that migrants who ignore the temporary incentive face severe consequences. Those illegal aliens who don’t take advantage of this special offer today have only one alternative: They will be arrested, deported, and they will never be able to return to the United States.”

Supporters of the policy argue that fewer migrants in the labor and housing markets could benefit American workers by boosting wages, easing rent pressures, and encouraging people who have left the workforce to seek jobs. They also say the shift would compel political, media, and business leaders to refocus attention on Americans dealing with crime, discrimination, and poverty.

Despite widespread anecdotal reports of migrants leaving on their own, critics note that there is still no hard data confirming that voluntary departures exceed one million people.

Some migration trends offer partial insight. Large numbers of Haitian and other migrants have reportedly crossed into Canada. The Canada Border Services Agency “says it processed 31,977 total asylum claims through November, a 42% decline from the same period last year,” according to a December 22 report in the Detroit News.

Individual cases have also drawn attention. In December, KOLD.com reported on a Colombian family that chose to leave the United States after the father was deported from Tucson, Arizona. Yarlidis Goez-Santos, the mother of four, previously told 13 News that self-deportation was the right choice after her husband was removed in January 2025.

She reiterated that view this week. “I don’t have the words to express just how grateful I am,” Goez-Santos said. “I want to thank all the people that we met while we stayed here.”

Backers of the administration’s approach contend that as economic migrants depart, pressure will mount on political and corporate leaders to prioritize helping displaced Americans regain jobs, stability, and long-term prosperity.

Man films himself self deporting to avoid being picked up and deported by ICE.

“They make us feel unwelcome here.” pic.twitter.com/sIQt42oaRY

— ICE of TikTok (@ICEofTikTok) November 25, 2025

Self-deport or be deported: the choice is yours!
https://t.co/Ci1fP6L2T9 pic.twitter.com/fEVNSwVumG

— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) December 2, 2025

“It feels like the system isn’t broken — it’s working AGAINST us.”

A young American with $10 left shares a home with 4 roommates, lives off granola bars, drives a car she can’t afford to fix, and watches rent, bills, and basic necessities wipe out every paycheck. pic.twitter.com/2CLWv0r3PZ

— MatrixMysteries (@MatrixMysteries) December 17, 2025

https://twitter.com/i/status/1986183229154455805

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Jasmine Crockett said Vice President J.D. Vance’s recent remarks about her were rooted in racial stereotyping and political fear, arguing that Republicans are alarmed by her potential to flip Texas by winning a U.S. Senate seat.

Appearing Sunday on MS NOW’s “The Weekend,” Crockett responded to comments Vance made at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference, where he mocked her candidacy and background. Vance told the crowd, “Jasmine Crockett, oh, Jasmine Crockett, the record speaks for itself. She wants to be a senator, though her street-girl persona is about as real as her nails.”

During the segment, co-host Antonia Hylton reacted sharply to the remark, saying, “I think every Black woman heard what he was trying to say there. What do you think he’s trying to signal at a conference like this to an audience like this?”

Crockett said Vance’s comments were aimed at energizing his supporters while avoiding substantive debate. “Well, first of all, he’s trying to rile up his base, because right now we know that no matter if we’re looking in deep red Tennessee, Mississippi or Georgia, we know that we’re swinging no less than ten points. And unlike what we’ve had historically in Texas, because I know that you talked about the Texas dream of turning us blue, is that we have a candidate in me who absolutely plans to talk to any and everybody, and that is why they are afraid,” she said.

She pushed back strongly against Vance’s characterization of her, emphasizing her background and qualifications. “The fact that he said, I have a quote-unquote’ street-girl persona,’ I’m sorry, but anybody that you talk to knows my credentials. They know that I’ve gone to school. They know that I’m educated. I never tried to put on some random story about where I came from. But at the end of the day, I am who I am and I am authentic,” Crockett said.

Crockett argued that authenticity, not rhetoric, is what resonates with voters and unsettles her critics. “And that is actually what they are fearful of is my authenticity. Because it rings true with every single American, whether they’re Texan or not. It rings true that I am fighting for real, everyday people,” she said.

Turning the focus back on Vance, Crockett challenged his record and standing. “And instead of talking about policy, when you’re talking about, ‘The record speaks for itself’ — baby, let’s talk about your record, because the only reason you’re the vice president is because the current president tried to have his last vice president killed. Lets talk about qualifications,” she said.

She concluded by saying attacks will not deter her and that she is ready to debate policy at any time. “When they can tell me about their policies that are helping Texans, then we can have a conversation. Until then. take whatever shots you want to take at me. Because I have been a Black woman my entire life. I promise you, there are other people just like J.D. Vance, who have tried to do the same racist tropes my entire life, and somehow I ascended and became a U.S. congresswoman. It will not be different when I become a U.S. senator, and we can have a conversation when I get to the Senate floor if he wants to talk.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump’s job approval has climbed back to the 50% level, according to a new InsiderAdvantage survey released Monday, marking his strongest showing in nearly three months.

The poll, conducted among likely voters, asked participants, “What is your opinion of the job performance of President Donald Trump?” The responses showed 50% approving of Trump’s performance, 41% disapproving, and 9% saying they were undecided.

That result represents a notable rebound from InsiderAdvantage’s November survey, which recorded Trump’s approval at 44%. It also gives Trump a nine-point net approval margin, his widest positive spread in the firm’s polling since mid-August, when approval stood at 54% with 44% disapproval.

Pollster Matt Towery, who supervised the survey, attributed the shift to a combination of recent developments, including Trump’s Dec. 17 address to the nation and newly released inflation data. “After months of Trump hovering at or above 50% approval, our November survey showed a dip to 44%. But in recent days, his approval has moved back into the 50% range,” Towery said.

Trump’s prime-time White House speech came at a moment when economic issues, particularly inflation and the cost of living, have remained a consistent concern for voters. The address was widely seen as an attempt to recalibrate his domestic agenda and steady public opinion following several weeks of weaker polling.

Towery also pointed to fresh economic figures released Dec. 18 by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to the agency, the Chained Consumer Price Index rose 2.6% over the past year, though officials cautioned that some of the most recent monthly readings may still be revised.

The pollster said the improvement in Trump’s numbers was fueled by gains among several demographic groups, including independents, younger voters, and women. At the same time, he warned that a relatively large share of respondents — especially independents — remain undecided, underscoring the potential for shifts as the 2026 midterm elections approach.

“Interestingly, our recent job performance surveys have shown the number of undecided respondents at an unusually high number,” Towery said. “This tells us that some voters, particularly independents, remain unsure as to his accomplishments so far. This suggests he has work to do as he and the GOP enter the midterm season.”

InsiderAdvantage said the survey was conducted Dec. 19–20 among 800 likely voters using cellphone calls and text messages. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

{Matzav.com}

A wave of shootings over the weekend left at least 11 people wounded across Chicago, with one of the victims later dying from her injuries, according to multiple reports.

CBS News said those struck by gunfire ranged in age from “18 to 55,” underscoring the broad impact of the violence across the city.

Details of the fatal incident were reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, which said the shooting took place around 8:20 a.m. Shabbos. A gunman in another vehicle opened fire on a car driven by a 22-year-old woman “in the 200 block of East 103rd Street.” As she attempted to flee, her vehicle crashed into a tree. She was transported to a hospital, where she later died.

Police said the shooter was able to escape the scene and has not been taken into custody.

The latest violence follows a deadly pattern seen in recent weeks. Breitbart News reported that the previous weekend saw nine people shot across Chicago from Friday into Sunday morning, with one of those victims dying from gunshot wounds.

Citywide homicide figures remain high. Crain’s Chicago Business reported that Chicago recorded 395 murders from January 1, 2025, through December 9, 2025, highlighting the continued toll of violent crime in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration.

{Matzav.com}

A new report by the Anti-Defamation League says a significant minority of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition appointees have past connections to anti-Zionist activism, prompting sharp debate over the makeup of his incoming administration.

The ADL said its findings are based on a review of more than 400 individuals selected by Mamdani for advisory and administrative roles. According to the report, at least 20 percent of those appointees have online activity or organizational ties linked to anti-Zionist or anti-Israel causes.

Among the groups cited are Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, and Within Our Lifetime, which the ADL describes as a leading hardline activist organization in New York City.

The report states that some appointees publicly expressed support for Palestinian “resistance” against Israel. In one case, an appointee wrote that such resistance was “justified” one day after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. Two appointees were identified as having posted messages endorsing that framing.

The ADL also found that at least four individuals connected to the transition have ties to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, including online posts praising or supporting him.

Campus protest activity also featured prominently in the report. According to the ADL, at least a dozen appointees voiced support for anti-Israel encampments at universities, and at least five personally took part. One individual appointed to the Committee on Youth and Education joined a City University of New York encampment and shared images of herself standing before a banner bearing an inverted red triangle — a symbol associated with Hamas — alongside the words “Long live the resistance.”

The report further alleges that at least one-fifth of Mamdani’s appointees have posted statements characterized as anti-Zionist or anti-Israel. Examples cited include a Committee on Legal Affairs nominee who wrote that “Zionism is racism,” and a Committee on Criminal Legal System appointee who was involved in circulating a statement describing Zionism as a “genocidal ideology.” Another appointee, the report says, shared content claiming that Zionists are worse than Nazis and asserting that “Zionists are never Jews.”

At the same time, the ADL emphasized that many of Mamdani’s selections raised no concerns. The organization noted that at least 25 members of the transition team have prior relationships with the ADL or documented records of support for the Jewish community.

In response to its findings, the ADL announced the launch of a “Mamdani Monitor” initiative aimed at tracking the mayor-elect’s policies and appointments. The move has drawn criticism from progressive activists and from Mamdani himself.

Addressing the report at a press conference, Mamdani said, “I have always spoken out against antisemitism and hatred in any form and have made it clear that the commitment that I have made to protect New Yorkers, to protect Jewish New Yorkers, is one that I will uphold.”

He also pushed back on the ADL’s conclusions, saying, “We must distinguish between antisemitism and criticism of the Israeli government and the ADL’s report oftentimes ignores this distinction, and in doing so, it draws attention away from the very real crisis of antisemitism.”

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s High Court of Justice has ordered the state to submit its long-awaited response to a petition demanding media access to Gaza by early January, sharply criticizing the government for what it described as a pattern of stalling.

In a ruling issued Sunday, Justice Ofer Grosskopf made clear that the court would not tolerate another postponement in the case brought by the Foreign Press Association. The judge set January 4 as the final deadline for the state to present its position, rejecting a request for an additional three-week extension.

“Now the respondents [the state and the defense minister] are requesting another extension, this time of three weeks, and they [may yet] ask for more. It is not possible to agree to this,” Grosskopf wrote, adding that if the state does not comply, the court will issue a ruling without waiting further.

The petition, filed in 2024, challenges Israel’s sweeping ban on independent journalistic access to Gaza since the outbreak of the war. The state initially informed the court in June last year that it could not allow journalists into the territory due to security concerns, a position it has not formally updated since.

Grosskopf noted that the government had previously committed to submitting its response by November 23, but then sought and received two extensions that pushed the deadline to Sunday. Those delays were granted despite the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that came into effect on October 10, a development the court expected the state to address.

The FPA welcomed the court’s decision, saying, “After two years of the state’s delay tactics, we are pleased that the court’s patience has finally run out.”
“We renew our call for the State of Israel to immediately grant journalists free and unfettered access to the Gaza Strip. And should the government continue to obstruct press freedoms, we hope that the Supreme Court will recognize and uphold those freedoms,” the organization added.

Since the war began, policy set by the defense minister and the Israel Defense Forces has barred all journalists from entering Gaza independently. Israeli reporters, and a smaller number of foreign correspondents, have been permitted into the enclave only as embedded journalists accompanying IDF units.

The state has argued that allowing independent media access would endanger both soldiers and reporters, citing operational and personal security risks. Those justifications, the petition maintains, are far less compelling in light of the cessation of hostilities.

According to the FPA, the government has requested eight separate deferrals since the petition was submitted, all of which were approved by the court. A hearing was also postponed earlier this year due to the June conflict with Iran.

In its filing, the association argues that the blanket prohibition on independent reporting from Gaza “contravenes the foundational principles of the state as a democratic country, and represents a severe, unreasonable and disproportionate injury to the freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and freedom of employment for journalists and the right to information.”

The petition further claims that foreign journalists have been given fewer opportunities to embed with the IDF than their Israeli counterparts, that decisions on who is allowed to enter Gaza are made largely without coordination with the FPA, and that embedded reporting is so tightly supervised that it prevents comprehensive and meaningful coverage of the war.

{Matzav.com}

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}