Matzav

Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed the country on Monday, releasing a message aimed at calming the growing storm surrounding Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s request for a presidential pardon. In his video statement, delivered in Hebrew, Herzog stressed that his guiding principle is the welfare of the nation, noting that “The issue of Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s request for a pardon is clearly provoking debate and is deeply unsettling for many people in the country, across different communities.”

Herzog emphasized that the process would be handled with absolute care and neutrality. “I have already clarified that it will be handled in the most correct and precise manner. I will consider solely the best interests of the State of Israel and Israeli society,” he said, underscoring that no pressure campaign will sway him. He added that public input was welcome — “One thing is clear to me: Violent discourse will not impact me; on the other hand, respectful discourse will definitely create a discussion. I invite the Israeli public to the President’s Residence website to express their opinions and respond appropriately.”

Even before Herzog’s remarks, political circles were buzzing with reports that the President was weighing the request seriously, including the possibility of tying a pardon to an agreement for early elections. Channel 13 News mentioned this scenario earlier in the day. Those aligned with Netanyahu, however, pushed back on any conditional approach, stating unequivocally that “this is all or nothing – either an unconditional pardon, or the Prime Minister will continue his trial until acquittal.”

Netanyahu formally submitted his petition on Sunday through attorney Amit Hadad, nearly six years after charging documents were first filed. The letter makes no acknowledgment of wrongdoing. Instead, Netanyahu framed the appeal as a step toward restoring internal unity, writing: “In recent years, tensions and disputes have increased between parts of the people and between the various state authorities. I am aware that the proceedings in my case have become a focus of fierce debates and bear broad public and ethical responsibility, out of an understanding of the implications of all the events as a result, and despite my personal interest in conducting the trial and proving my innocence until I am fully acquitted, I believe that the public interest dictates otherwise.”

He continued by linking the end of the legal proceedings to easing national friction: “Out of a public responsibility as Prime Minister to try to bring about reconciliation between the parts of the people, I have no doubt that the end of the trial will help to reduce the intensity of the flames in the debate that has arisen around it.”

Following the submission, the President’s Office acknowledged the gravity of what now lies before Herzog. It noted that the President “is aware that this is an extraordinary request which carries with it significant implications. After receiving all of the relevant opinions, the President will responsibly and sincerely consider the request.”

The paperwork has already been routed to the Justice Ministry’s Pardons Department, where an official recommendation will be drafted. That opinion will then be assessed by multiple government bodies, including the legal adviser to the President’s Office and the minister designated to oversee the process. Because Justice Minister Yariv Levin is a senior member of Netanyahu’s Likud party and therefore conflicted out, Minister Amichai Eliyahu is expected to take the lead on evaluating the matter.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Iron Beam (“Magen Or” in Hebrew) laser defense system will begin defending against aerial threats at the end of the month, the country’s Defense Ministry announced on Monday.

“With development complete and a comprehensive testing program that has validated the system’s capabilities, we are prepared to deliver initial operational capability to the IDF on Dec. 30, 2025,” said Brig. Gen. (res.) Daniel Gold, head of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development at the Defense Ministry.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Daniel Gold, head of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development at the Israeli Defense Ministry, speaks at the International DefenseTech Summit at Tel Aviv University on Dec. 1, 2025. Credit: Israel Ministry of Defense.

Speaking at the International DefenseTech Summit at Tel Aviv University, Gold said the system was a complement to the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow air defense systems, and “is expected to fundamentally change the rules of engagement on the battlefield.”

The system uses a 100-kilowatt laser to intercept rockets, mortars and UAVs at a range of more than 6 miles (10 kilometers), at a fraction of the cost of traditional interceptors. The estimated cost per firing is about $2 to $5, compared to $40,000 to $80,000 for a single Iron Dome interceptor.

The Iron Beam—to be renamed “Ohr Eitan” (“Eitan’s Light”) after Eitan Oster, who fell in battle in Lebanon and whose father was one of its developers—will be integrated into the Israel Defense Forces’ air defense array.

The Defense Ministry and Israel’s Rafael defense technology firm announced in September the completion of a series of successful trials of the Iron Beam system at a facility in southern Israel.

 

“The system proved its effectiveness in a complete operational configuration by intercepting rockets, mortars, aircraft and UAVs across a comprehensive range of operational scenarios,” they said in a joint statement at the time.

The Israeli military revealed in May that a smaller version of the laser defense system was tested in combat operations during the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, shooting down dozens of enemy drones. Most of the interceptions were of Hezbollah drones, but the system also downed UAVs on other fronts, according to the IDF. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Republican strategist Karl Rove is urging his party to prepare a concrete and convincing pitch to voters well before the next midterm cycle, cautioning that the absence of a real health care proposal could severely damage their prospects.

Speaking on Fox News’s “Journal Editorial Report,” Rove said the GOP cannot enter the 2026 races empty-handed on core domestic issues. He argued that candidates must be able to explain both their economic vision and their approach to health care in a way that resonates beyond party loyalists. “If the Republicans want to maximize their victories in 2026, they need to go back in the way-back machine to 1992 and remember the immortal words of that great strategist, James Carville. ‘It’s the economy stupid,’ he said,” Rove noted. “And you got to have an agenda that is forward-looking.”

Rove said Republicans should frame their plans around policies that encourage economic expansion and help families improve their financial well-being. As he put it, candidates must be thinking in terms of “progrowth policies” that ordinary voters can immediately understand and feel.

He stressed that health care cannot be sidelined. “And ‘don’t forget health care,’ Carville famously said,” Rove reminded viewers. “The Republicans have got to have a health care agenda, otherwise they’re going to be in deep trouble.”

The topic has already proven volatile. The recent government shutdown — the longest in the nation’s history — hinged in large part on demands from Democrats to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies before permitting the government to reopen. Those enhanced subsidies expire at the end of the year, a development expected to push premiums higher for millions. That expiration is also creating uncertainty inside the GOP, since many Republican voters rely on those subsidies and are now bracing for steep costs.

Rove said these pressures are exposing division within the Republican ranks. In his view, lawmakers are increasingly worried about the political fallout tied to the public’s economic frustrations, while the benefits of the administration’s major tax and spending legislation have not yet been felt widely enough. He described the anxiety this way: members are “scared to death of the midterm election,” because the public isn’t feeling the results of President Trump’s major legislative achievement.

Rove pointed directly to the gap between Trump’s expectations and voter perceptions. “If the president’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ was as instantaneously positive as he thinks, his approval numbers on the economy wouldn’t be in the 30s, and his overall approval wouldn’t be in the low 40s,” he said.

He concluded that Republicans cannot afford to enter the cycle without a clear roadmap. “So Republicans are concerned, and they need to have an agenda going into the 2026 midterms, and they don’t have a forward-looking agenda at this moment,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Maran Rav Dov Landau delivered a powerful shmuess at Yeshiva Ma’or HaTorah on Sunday, issuing an unequivocal declaration that there is no consent whatsoever for yeshiva bochurim from Sephardic communities to leave yeshiva and enlist in the IDF.

The gathering, hosted by Rav Avraham Salim, a member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas, centered on the current climate surrounding the draft debate and the claims being circulated regarding Sephardic bnei Torah. Rav Landau devoted his remarks to affirming the unwavering position of the Torah world.

Rav Landau began by highlighting the rich Torah legacy of Sephardic Jewry throughout the generations, noting that many of the greatest sages of all time were Sephardic. “Many of our greatest teachers throughout the generations were Sephardic sages: the Rambam, the Rif, the Ramban, the Rashba, Maran HaBeis Yosef, the Mishneh LaMelech, the Machaneh Ephraim, the Sha’ar HaMelech, and other giants whose teachings we absorb to this day,” he said. “In every beis midrash we immerse ourselves in their Torah just as we do in the teachings of the Ashkenazic sages.” He recalled the powerful impression made on him in his youth by the rosh yeshiva of Porat Yosef, Rav Ezra Attiya, whose noble and refined character left a lifelong mark on him.

Rav Landau then reflected on the early years of the State, which he described as a time of profound spiritual assault on Sephardic communities. “At the beginning of statehood, in a cruel and sweeping spiritual destruction orchestrated by the heads of the government, Sephardic Jewry suffered a catastrophe that claimed countless souls,” he said. In response, he noted, the great leaders of both the Ashkenazic and Sephardic worlds fought with all their strength to rebuild Torah education. The prominent Ashkenazic yeshivos opened their doors to students from the Sephardic communities, many of whom went on to become outstanding talmidei chachomim and marbitzei Torah.

He described with gratitude the extraordinary growth of Sephardic yeshivos over the past decades. “Today there are many yeshivos for Sephardic bochurim that are an inseparable part of the world of Torah,” he said. Their standard of learning, their atmosphere, and their spiritual stature, he noted, rival the finest of the veteran yeshivos. Leading them are great Sephardic roshei yeshiva whose dedication and leadership have built a vibrant Torah world filled with “excellent bnei Torah and young tzorvim growing into talmidei chachomim who sanctify Heaven’s name.”

With emotional intensity, Rav Landau turned to the rumors and claims being spread regarding Sephardic bochurim and the draft. “To our great sorrow, there are inciters and agitators who malign the roshei yeshiva, as if there is some agreement—chalilah—for bnei Torah from Sephardic backgrounds to abandon the wellspring of Torah and enlist,” he declared. “Chalilah v’chas! May the mouths of the liars be sealed. There is no such agreement and no such consent.”

He stressed that roshei yeshiva invest their full strength into every talmid, without distinction of origin or ability, guiding even those who struggle with patience and devotion, exactly as the Gemara instructs. Those who attempt to sow division, he warned, inflict deep harm on the entire Torah world and desecrate the name of Heaven, whether knowingly or unknowingly. “One who desecrates Hashem’s name is accountable regardless,” he said.

Rav Landau concluded with a heartfelt charge to bnei hayeshivos: “Every yeshiva student must understand our mission: to learn Torah with depth, diligence, and total immersion, disconnected from the influences of the street.” He closed with a prayer that Torah learning continue to expand without interruption: “May Hashem help us continue to see the flourishing of the batei medrash and the increase of Torah learners without limit. Avinu Malkeinu, remove harsh decrees from us. May the earth be filled with the knowledge of Hashem as water covers the sea, and may we merit to see the return of Tzion, speedily in our days. Amein.”

{Matzav.com}

A&B Famous, one of the most widely recognized names in the kosher food market, has announced a temporary halt in production of its flagship Original Gefilte Fish, citing an unexpected shortage of key fish varieties essential to its recipe.

In a public notice, the company explained that its longstanding reputation rests on strict adherence to kashrus, freshness, and the use of only the highest-quality ingredients, including fish that is never previously frozen. That commitment, the company noted, is the foundation of the product’s “signature fresh, authentic, and delicious flavor.”

According to A&B, seasonal harvesting restrictions have made the specific varieties of fresh fish required for its classic recipe unavailable. As a result, the company said, it is currently unable to produce its Original Gefilte Fish in accordance with its rigorous standards.

“A&B Original Gefilte Fish will be temporarily unavailable until we are once again able to obtain the premium, freshly caught fish required for our recipe,” the notice states.

Despite the shortage, the company emphasized that several other products remain fully stocked. These include White & Pike, Salmon, and Gluten-Free gefilte fish varieties, all of which continue to be produced without disruption.

A&B expressed cautious optimism that the issue will be resolved within two to three weeks, at which point they expect to resume full production and restock the complete line of products.

The notice concludes with an apology for any inconvenience and thanks customers for their loyalty and understanding during the temporary shortage.

A&B Famous is based in Paterson, New Jersey.

{Matzav.com}

A new rift is emerging within United Torah Judaism (UTJ) as Agudas Yisroel signals firm opposition to lifting the bloc’s boycott of coalition-sponsored legislation. While coalition leaders were hopeful that the chareidi parties would ease their protest amid progress on the draft law, Agudah has made clear it will not budge until the bill passes its final Knesset reading.

The dispute comes as Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Boaz Bismuth prepares for three intense discussions this week on the updated draft law. Coalition officials had assessed over the weekend that UTJ might partially end its boycott and support several preliminary coalition bills.

However, a report published Sunday evening revealed that Agudas Yisroel opposes lifting the boycott entirely, arguing that without a completed draft law—passed on its third reading—any parliamentary activity amounts to “empty deliberations.”

Degel HaTorah, the other half of UTJ, has not yet reached a decision. Senior Degel figures are weighing whether to accept the coalition’s request and support a limited number of bills. A final ruling is expected at today’s weekly faction meeting.

The decision carries broader coalition implications. Because Shas typically coordinates its voting strategy with Degel HaTorah, Degel’s stance will likely determine whether Shas joins or refrains from the boycott. If Degel chooses to support the coalition while Agudah refuses, Agudas Yisroel may once again find itself isolated, with the other chareidi parties returning to routine cooperation with the government.

The renewed political tension comes as the coalition works to secure a majority for the draft law—a task still far from guaranteed. So far, only two coalition MKs have publicly declared outright opposition: Likud MK Yuli Edelstein and MK Sharren Haskel of Gideon Sa’ar’s party.

Other lawmakers believed to harbor concerns—including Dan Illouz, Ofir Sofer, Bezalel Smotrich, and Eli Dallal—have stated that they will review the updated draft during committee discussions and decide their final vote afterward.

{Matzav.com}

During a flight from Palm Beach back to Washington, President Donald Trump made clear he had no regrets about the language he used last week when he referred to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as “retarded.” The exchange took place aboard Air Force One after a reporter pressed him on the wording he used in a Thanksgiving post.

When the reporter asked if he still stood behind the insult, Trump dismissed the concern. “Yeah, I think there’s something wrong with him,” he responded, firing back with, “Do you have a problem with it?” He repeated that his criticism stemmed from Walz’s stance on refugee policy, adding, “I think there’s something wrong with him … Anybody that would allow those people into a state and pay billions of dollars out to Somalia. We gave billions of dollars to Somalia — it’s not even a country because it doesn’t function like a country. It’s got a name, but it doesn’t function like a country. Yeah, there’s something wrong with Walz.”

His original Thanksgiving message on Truth Social said that the country’s “refugee burden is the leading cause of social dysfunction in America, something that did not exist after World War II,” and then moved directly into his criticism of Walz. In the same social media post, Trump claimed Minnesota had been overwhelmed by new arrivals from Somalia. “As an example, hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia are completely taking over the once great State of Minnesota. Somalian gangs are roving the streets looking for ‘prey’ as our wonderful people stay locked in their apartments and houses hoping against hope that they will be left alone,” he wrote.

He went on in that post to accuse the governor of inaction. “The seriously retarded Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, does nothing, either through fear, incompetence, or both,” Trump wrote, turning his attention next to Rep. Ilhan Omar. He claimed she “does nothing but hatefully complain about our Country,” adding pointed allegations about her origins and immigration history, saying her birthplace was “a decadent, backward, and crime ridden nation, which is essentially not even a country for lack of Government, Military, Police, schools, etc…”

Trump concluded the Thanksgiving message with a sweeping policy declaration, vowing that he “will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover.”

Walz addressed the remarks on Sunday and dismissed them entirely, saying it is “a badge of honor” to draw such an attack from the president.

{Matzav.com}

The renewed battle over Israel’s controversial draft law is set to intensify today as the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee launches a new round of high-pressure deliberations on the updated proposal. Committee chairman MK Boaz Bismuth is expected to enforce strict speaking limits as lawmakers confront a packed room and a tight legislative deadline.

The committee will open its first session of the new discussion cycle following the distribution of the revised bill text late last week. The updated version, drafted under Bismuth’s direction, is intended to address demands from the Knesset’s legal advisers and bolster the proposal’s chances of surviving scrutiny by the High Court.

Lawmakers are bracing for one of the most crowded meetings the committee has seen in months. According to internal assessments, the hearing room is expected to be filled to capacity with MKs, lobbyists, organizational representatives, and activists. Committee officials are already preparing for the likelihood that not all attendees will be able to enter.

To maintain order, Bismuth has instituted a stringent time-management mechanism: every speaker will be allotted between 90 seconds and two minutes, enforced by an official buzzer to prevent long-winded speeches, delays, or filibusters.

The coming days will feature an intensive schedule. Three sessions are planned for this week—today’s meeting, followed by two additional hearings tomorrow. Next week, discussions are set to expand to nearly every day as the committee races to produce a finalized version of the law for presentation to the Knesset plenum.

Behind the scenes, officials note that the draft law has already undergone 51 committee discussions, including those held under former chairman MK Yuli Edelstein. The latest round will focus primarily on the most recent amendments introduced last Thursday, which were crafted to ensure legal durability and meet the requirements laid out by government legal advisers.

{Matzav.com}

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During an exchange with reporters aboard Air Force One, President Donald Trump reignited long-running controversies surrounding Rep. Ilhan Omar, suggesting she should not remain in the United States if allegations about her past are accurate. Pointing to years of claims about her immigration history, he said the situation is reason enough to expel her.

“Somalia, where you have a Congressman goes around telling everybody about our Constitution, yet she supposedly came into our country by marrying her brother,” Trump said while speaking to reporters on Air Force One. “Well, if that’s true, she shouldn’t be a Congressman, and we should throw her the —- out of our country.”

Trump, continuing his remarks, argued that the U.S. doesn’t benefit from individuals who arrive in the country only to, in his words, lecture Americans. While fielding questions, he noted that the nation does not need people “telling us what to do.”

His pointed comments emerged as Democrats — with Omar at the forefront — have been vigorously defending Minnesota’s Somali community. That defense has drawn scrutiny amid reports alleging “widespread fraud of taxpayers’ healthcare programs” tied to Somali-run operations. Trump, for his part, has repeatedly vowed to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) amnesty for Somali nationals, citing concerns about billions in missing funds.

Breitbart’s Warner Todd Huston documented Omar’s response to Trump’s rhetoric, noting that she accused him of issuing “lawless threats” toward Somali immigrants. Huston wrote that Omar has adopted an aggressive tone in pushing back, standing firmly with Somalians while targeting Trump’s comments.

“Unsurprisingly, Somali native and U.S. congresswoman Ilhan Omar has been very vocal in her support for her fellow countrymen. She has also attacked Trump for ‘lawless threats’ she says he has leveled against Somalians.”

Trump’s criticisms escalated further in a Thanksgiving post on Truth Social, where he blasted both Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Omar. He cast Omar as a constant critic of America, invoking harsh and inflammatory language while accusing her of benefiting from fraudulent immigration.

“The seriously retarded Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, does nothing, either through fear, incompetence, or both, while the worst ‘Congressman/woman’ in our Country, Ilhan Omar, always wrapped in her swaddling hijab, and who probably came into the U.S.A. illegally in that you are not allowed to marry your brother, does nothing but hatefully complain about our Country, its Constitution, and how ‘badly’ she is treated, when her place of origin is a decadent, backward, and crime ridden nation, which is essentially not even a country for lack of Government, Military, Police, schools, etc,” Trump said.

Long before these exchanges, conservative writers had been pressing the same accusations. Powerline reported in early 2020 that the Daily Mail had revealed statements from a Somali community figure claiming Omar “DID marry her brother” and had admitted she would do whatever necessary to secure U.S. documentation for him.

The blog’s February update leaned heavily on a report by Martin Gould: “Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t know that Ilhan Omar married her brother in 2009? It has been my mission in life to get the word out over the past three and a half years. Today Martin Gould reports for The Daily Mail: ‘Ilhan Omar DID marry her brother and said she would “do what she had to do to get him “papers” to keep him in U.S.”, reveals Somali community leader.’ Maybe word will get out now that is has been reported in the most widely read English-language news site in the world.”

Gould’s findings came after spending time in Minneapolis and reconnecting with the original Somali source who first brought the allegations to light. Powerline described the relationship between the writer and the source, Abdihaikm Osman Nur, tracing it back nearly a decade and detailing the efforts made to corroborate the story.

A separate Powerline entry from July 2019 resurfaced additional claims asserting that Omar’s entire arrival in the U.S. was based on an invented identity. According to the report, Omar allegedly “entered the United States as a fraudulent member of the ‘Omar’ family,” joining relatives who were not biologically connected to her in order to secure asylum.

The article outlined the alleged split within her genetic family, claiming that three members came to America under falsified names while the rest obtained asylum in the United Kingdom. The outlet reiterated that her birth name was Ilhan Nur Said Elmi and noted that she and Ahmed Nur Said Elmi were married in 2009 and “did not divorce until 2017.”

In September, Trump again took to Truth Social to condemn Somalia, describing the country as mired in chaos and dysfunction. He also revisited the accusation that Omar had circumvented immigration rules, questioning how someone in her position could dictate policy to the United States.

In that post, he argued that Somalia was “plagued by a lack of central Government control, persistent Poverty, Hunger, Resurgent Terrorism, Piracy, decades of Civil War, Corruption, and pervasive Violence.” He went on to criticize Omar for telling the U.S. government “how to run America” and wondered aloud whether she was “the one that married her brother in order to gain Citizenship.”

{Matzav.com}

A political firestorm erupted Sunday night after MK Yair Lapid unveiled his party’s plan to introduce legislation stripping voting rights from Israelis who are deemed fit for IDF service but do not enlist—while explicitly exempting the Arab public from the proposal. The announcement immediately triggered condemnation across the chareidi political spectrum.

Lapid defended the idea by challenging the assumption that the ballot is beyond scrutiny. “I don’t know who invented this phrase that the right to vote is sacred. It is not sacred. In a democratic state, there are rights and obligations, and one depends on the other – they cannot be separated,” he said, arguing that civic privileges must reflect civic duties.

He went on to clarify that the law would apply only to those who receive a draft notice but refuse to show up. “For example, the Arab public in Israel is not summoned to enlist, so it does not apply to them. Or people with mental or physical conditions who cannot enlist – it does not apply to them either. It applies only to those who received a draft order, are healthy, and can report to the induction center but choose not to. They are offenders.”

Lapid added that he plans to advance another bill targeting incarcerated individuals. “I also intend to submit, alongside this, a law stating that prisoners will not be able to vote in Israel, as well as those who fail to report to the induction center,” he said, indicating that the effort is part of a broader campaign to link voting rights with compliance to the law.

Shas responded with immediate fury, accusing the Yesh Atid leader of singling out the chareidi community. The party declared: “Yair Lapid, who hastened to clarify that he did not intend to revoke voting rights from Arabs but only from haredim, revealed his true face and the depth of his hatred toward Jews who observe Torah and mitzvot. According to Lapid, Jews who love the land, study Torah, and pray daily for the safety of IDF soldiers are worth less than Arabs, some of whom support Palestinian terror. Shameful and disgraceful.”

UTJ MK Meir Porush also issued a blistering retort, directing his remarks at Israel’s minister responsible for combating antisemitism. “Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Chikli, you need not look abroad for battles against antisemites – Yair Lapid is right here in the Israeli parliament, with ideas that even antisemites abroad would not dare voice today. Will Lapid and Liberman’s next law be a ban on haredim driving on Israeli roads paved with state funds?”

{Matzav.com}

Shin Bet chief David Zini made a discreet trip to Egypt on Sunday, sitting down with the country’s intelligence director for high-level talks. Kan News reported that their conversation centered on the evolving situation in the Gaza Strip and how both sides envision advancing the next stage of their ongoing understandings. The visit is widely viewed as Zini’s first formal overseas engagement since assuming his position.

Earlier in the day, a senior Palestinian Arab official told Agence France-Presse that Egyptian security services have already begun preparing Palestinian Arab police forces for their anticipated role in governing Gaza once hostilities end. This training effort has quietly been underway for months.

According to that report, Egypt ran an extensive program in March in which more than 500 Palestinian Arab police personnel and operatives were put through physical, tactical, and classroom-based instruction. Hundreds more have been participating in additional rounds of training since September, part of a growing pipeline Egypt intends to expand.

Several months back, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Ati publicly explained that Cairo’s plan was to train and equip as many as 5,000 Palestinian Arab officers who could be deployed in Gaza when a new administrative framework takes shape. That initiative appears to be moving forward.

Al-Araby Al-Jadeed added further context, noting that under the Fatah-Hamas understanding reached with Egyptian mediation at the end of 2024, the technocratic administration expected to govern Gaza after the war will enlist 5,000 newly trained police recruits. These will serve alongside another 5,000 officers who had previously worked under the Hamas-run security structure.

Another Palestinian Arab source indicated that the entire training and preparation effort is being conducted in full coordination with the Palestinian Authority. These officers, the source said, will be funded through the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, which is slated to oversee their salaries once they take up their roles in Gaza.

{Matzav.com}

Newly unsealed intelligence papers from Argentina expose a disturbing truth: SS Commander Josef Mengele, the notorious Auschwitz butcher known as the “Angel of Death,” lived openly in South America for years even though officials were fully aware of who he was. According to the documents, first highlighted by the New York Post, authorities tracked his steps yet never managed—nor decisively attempted—to bring him to justice.

Mengele had slipped out of Germany in 1949, vanishing just as the revelations of the Nuremberg trials made clear the full scale of his atrocities. His sadistic medical “research,” which included handpicking victims for the gas chambers and carrying out gruesome experiments, earned him his infamous title long before he disappeared overseas.

The intelligence reports, released by Argentinian President Javier Milei, reveal that South American authorities regularly exchanged information about his whereabouts. Still, bungled timing, bureaucratic delays, and even media leaks repeatedly gave him the chance to slip away. Each misstep widened the gap between his crimes and the justice he never faced.

Using an Italian passport under the alias Helmut Gregor, Mengele entered Argentina in 1949. By the middle of the next decade, the records show that officials already knew that the “Angel of Death” was living among them. Yet he continued building a life there without interference.

One document contains a harrowing newspaper interview with Auschwitz survivor José Furmanski, who said: “He gathered twins of all ages in the camp and subjected them to experiments that always ended in death. Between the children, the elderly, and women… what horrors.”

Incredibly, by 1956 Mengele felt confident enough to contact the West German Embassy in Buenos Aires to request his original birth certificate. He even began using his real name again. A 1957 memo recounts how he “explained” why he had entered Argentina under an alias: “He (Mengele) demonstrated being nervous, having stated that during the war he acted as a physician in the German S.S., in Czechoslovakia, where the Red Cross labeled him a ‘war criminal.’”

The files further detail that Argentine authorities knew exactly where he lived—Carapachy, near Buenos Aires. They were aware that he had married his brother’s widow and that his father visited him, possibly to support his medical ventures.

When West Germany finally issued an arrest warrant in 1959, the request for extradition was swiftly rejected by a local judge who claimed it amounted to “political persecution.” International calls for action escalated, but Mengele slipped away once more, this time into Paraguay, where he obtained citizenship and resumed life under government protection. Police raided his Buenos Aires laboratory, only to find an empty workspace.

Later investigations depended almost entirely on foreign press reports. By 1960, Mengele had settled in Brazil with the help of sympathetic German farmers. There he lived out the rest of his days, dying from a stroke while swimming near Bertioga. Buried under a fabricated name, his remains were finally unearthed in 1985—decades too late for the justice denied to his countless victims.

{Matzav.com}

Gov. Tim Walz used his appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday to level sharp criticism at President Donald Trump, insisting he sees troubling signs about Trump’s ability to handle the responsibilities of the presidency. Walz, the Democrats’ unsuccessful vice-presidential candidate, said he believes the president’s recent conduct raises serious red flags.

The conversation turned tense when host Kristen Welker revisited Walz’s call for Trump to make his MRI results public. “Part of your initial response to President Trump’s post was to call for him to release the results of his MRI, and I want to give you a chance to give our viewers exactly a sense of what you’re — what exactly are you suggesting by that, governor?” she asked.

Walz argued that Trump’s holiday behavior was out of step with ordinary moments Americans shared over Thanksgiving. “Well, here we got a guy on Thanksgiving where we spent time with our families, we ate, we played Yahtzee, we cheered for football or whatever, this guy is apparently in a room ranting about everything else. This is not normal behavior. It is not healthy. And presidents throughout time have released a couple of things. They’ve released their tax returns, not Donald Trump. And they released their medical records, not Donald Trump. And look, the MRI is one thing, but I think what’s most concerning about this is — as your viewers out there are listening, has anyone in the history of the world ever have an MRI assigned to them and have no idea what it was for, as he says?”

From Walz’s perspective, Trump’s comments and late-night messages suggest deeper issues. He continued, “So look, it’s clear the president’s fading physically, I think the mental capacity again, ranting, you know, crazily at midnight on Thanksgiving about everything else. There’s reasons for us to be concerned. This is a guy that randomly says the airspace over Venezuela is closed. He’s ruminating on if you could win a nuclear war. Look, this is a serious position. It’s the most powerful position in the world. And we have someone at midnight throwing around slurs that demonize our children. At the same time, he’s not solving any of the problems. So I’m deeply concerned that he is incapable of doing the job.”

{Matzav.com}

Zohran Mamdani’s landslide election as New York City’s next mayor has sent shockwaves through the city’s real estate establishment, prompting a scramble among developers, landlords, and property organizations who now fear a political landscape they no longer control, Politico reported Sunday.

The incoming administration is preparing to unveil one of the most aggressive housing interventions in city history: a proposed four-year freeze on rents for nearly 1 million rent-stabilized units — homes occupied by roughly 2 million New Yorkers. According to Politico, Mamdani’s camp views the freeze as a lifeline for residents overwhelmed by soaring living costs, while building owners warn it could push thousands of regulated properties into insolvency.

Real estate interests are now bracing for open conflict. Once accustomed to shaping policy in both City Hall and Albany, industry leaders are exploring an array of defensive strategies. They are weighing potential lawsuits, lobbying maneuvers in the state legislature, and even urging outgoing Mayor Eric Adams to make last-minute appointments to the Rent Guidelines Board in an effort to slow Mamdani’s influence, the report said.

Landlords argue that many stabilized buildings are already struggling to stay afloat. They point to stagnant regulated rents paired with skyrocketing taxes, insurance premiums, and maintenance costs — a combination they say has destabilized their financial footing.

This intensifying battle marks the continuation of a political realignment years in the making. For decades, property owners held enormous sway, securing favorable outcomes through alliances with Republican state senators and close ties inside City Hall. That power structure collapsed after Democrats took full control of Albany in 2019 and passed sweeping tenant-rights legislation that closed off major avenues for rent increases or deregulation.

Meanwhile, tenant groups — driven by surging rents and a vacancy rate under 1% for apartments priced below $2,400 — have coalesced around Mamdani as a symbol of their frustration. His tongue-in-cheek shirt mocking Adams for raising his rent went viral, turning him into a champion of tenant activism.

Supporters of a freeze argue it is essential for preserving what remains of the city’s affordable housing stock. But critics say the real battle may be over process rather than ideology. The Rent Guidelines Board, which is required to base its decisions on annual financial data, will publish new findings this spring showing whether landlord incomes or expenses justify a freeze. Owner groups contend Mamdani is staking out a decision before the legally mandated numbers are even available — a move they claim could open the door to litigation.

Mamdani, for his part, has recently suggested that any freeze should be matched with relief on landlords’ most burdensome costs, including property taxes, water charges, and insurance — all of which owners argue have spiraled beyond reason. Even so, the essential divide remains unchanged: tenants are seeking stability, landlords are fighting for survival, and New York’s new left-wing mayor is signaling that renters will take precedence in the coming era.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump reportedly delivered Nicolás Maduro a blunt ultimatum last week: flee Venezuela at once if you want to survive. According to a Miami Herald account, Trump conveyed the message during a tense private call with the embattled strongman — a conversation that collapsed in minutes after Maduro attempted to negotiate terms the U.S. would not accept.

Sources told the Herald that during their discussion, Maduro insisted he should be allowed to retain command of Venezuela’s armed forces even if he permitted free elections, and he also pushed for sweeping international amnesty for himself and his inner circle. Both requests were quickly dismissed by Trump, who countered with a stark proposal: leave the country now.

The collapse of the talks prompted anxious reactions in Washington, where lawmakers warned that the crisis fueled by Venezuelan-linked narcotics trafficking is already claiming massive American casualties. “We have a war that’s coming through fentanyl, through opioids, through cocaine,” US Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) told “Fox News Sunday,” calling attention to the deadly flow he says is tied to Maduro’s regime. “It killed 100,000 Americans last year,” he added. “That’s twice the number of people that died in eight years of Vietnam — 4,000 Pennsylvanians.”

After the failed call, Trump escalated pressure. He publicly declared Venezuela’s airspace “closed in its entirety” and ordered U.S. naval and Marine forces — including the USS Gerald R. Ford and an amphibious-capable Marine Expeditionary Unit — to maintain a presence offshore. Over the weekend, he cautioned that military operations could begin “very soon.”

Trump confirmed to reporters on Sunday that he had spoken with Maduro, remarking only, “I wouldn’t say it went well or badly.” According to the New York Times, the conversation occurred late in the week of Nov. 16, not long after Trump had signaled a willingness to engage directly with the socialist ruler.

Behind the scenes, U.S. and Venezuelan officials reportedly discussed what a lawful surrender might look like, given that the State Department has posted a $50 million reward for Maduro. Trump told Maduro that he, his wife, and his son could depart without harm — but that the exit needed to be immediate.

A source familiar with the call told the Herald, “First, Maduro asked for global amnesty for any crimes he and his group had committed, and that was rejected.” The source added, “Second, they asked to retain control of the armed forces — similar to what happened in Nicaragua in ’91 with Violeta Chamorro. In return, they would allow free elections.” That, too, was rejected, as the U.S. demanded a prompt resignation. The Herald also noted that amnesty was offered to Maduro’s senior allies if they agreed to step aside.

As diplomacy broke down, Trump vowed to confront Venezuela’s drug-trafficking networks “by land,” further setting the stage for a dangerous escalation. By Saturday, his social media declaration sealing Venezuela’s skies triggered alarm throughout the region. Flight-tracking maps soon reflected the change, with international aircraft avoiding Venezuelan airspace and rerouting flights to Aruba and Curaçao.

Compounding the tensions, major airlines suspended service after the FAA cited “heightened military activity in and around Venezuela.” Caracas retaliated by revoking operating permissions for Iberia, TAP, Avianca, Latam, Colombia, Turkish Airlines, and GOL, deepening the country’s isolation. Maduro and his allies accused Trump of “colonial” aggression and charged that Washington aims to seize Venezuela’s oil reserves through force.

McCormick defended Trump’s posture as a necessary strike against ruthless cartels. “When President Trump was running, he and I both campaigned on the same thing, which was [to] secure the border, designate the cartels as narco-terrorists, and use our military in a strategic-focused way to destroy this cartel infrastructure,” he said. “I think that’s what’s happening with Venezuela.”

The U.S. Secretary of the Navy likewise characterized the struggle as an outright war. “Drugs kill more Americans than we’ve ever lost in wars. So I think at the end of the day, the president has correctly identified this as an attack on the country, which it is,” John Phelan said on “My View with Lara Trump.” The CDC recorded over 105,000 overdose deaths in 2023 — nearly double the American fatalities in Vietnam.

Although the White House has pointed to Venezuelan gangs as key players in narcotics distribution, a 2019 DEA report noted that most fentanyl reaching the U.S. actually originates in Mexico, made with Chinese precursor chemicals. Venezuela was among 23 nations Trump designated in September as “major drug transit or major illicit drug producing countries,” a list that also included China, India, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.

Despite an expanding U.S. military posture in the Caribbean, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) emphasized that Trump has ruled out inserting U.S. troops into Venezuela. “No, he’s made it very clear we’re not going to put troops into Venezuela. What we’re trying to do is protect our own shores,” Mullin said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

For months, the administration has been carrying out aggressive maritime operations targeting alleged narco-vessels from Venezuela and neighboring states. At least 21 lethal strikes have been conducted so far. One mission has drawn particular scrutiny: a bombing near Trinidad in which survivors of a hit drug boat were allegedly killed in a subsequent “double tap” strike — an order attributed to Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth to “kill everybody,” which he denies. The operation has sparked congressional investigations and human rights outrage, with critics calling the killings extrajudicial.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump unleashed a blistering attack on Joe Biden and his top officials on Sunday, using a Truth Social post to charge that the administration’s approach to immigration and asylum has placed Americans in danger.

His comments came in the aftermath of a deadly incident involving two National Guard members—one killed and one critically wounded—in an attack authorities say was carried out by an Afghan national who entered the United States under Biden-era policies. Trump directly tied the tragedy to what he called reckless border management. “Crooked Joe Biden, [Alejandro] Mayorkas, and so-called ‘Border Czar’ Kamala Harris really screwed our Country by letting anyone and everyone come in totally unchecked and unvetted!” Trump posted.

The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, now faces charges for the killing of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom. Officials report that Lakanwal arrived in America as part of Operation Allies Welcome, the massive relocation effort created after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

On Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the program rushed tens of thousands of Afghans into the country before thorough screening could be completed, a problem she attributed to the rapid collapse of the Afghan government. According to Noem, Lakanwal’s case highlights the dangers created by those gaps, insisting he was allowed into the United States with insufficient vetting.

Mayorkas, whom Trump singled out in his post, served as Biden’s Homeland Security secretary throughout all four years of Biden’s term.

{Matzav.com}

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The latest round of U.S.–Ukraine discussions stretched across four hours in Florida, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the session as “very productive,” even as he stressed that the path to ending Russia’s assault on Ukraine still requires considerable effort.

Rubio revealed that Steve Witkoff—President Donald Trump’s envoy for the negotiations—will outline the latest developments directly to Vladimir Putin during a trip to Moscow this week. He emphasized to reporters that the talks involve complicated dynamics: “There are a lot of moving parts, and obviously there’s another party involved here that will have to be a part of the equation, and that will continue later this week, when Mr. Witkoff travels to Moscow, although we’ve also been in touch in varying degrees with the Russian side, but we have a pretty good understanding of their views as well.” Rubio then cautioned, “Much work remains.”

According to Rubio, the discussions are not only focused on achieving a cessation of hostilities but also on shaping a lasting economic recovery for Ukraine. He characterized the American outlook as firmly grounded yet hopeful, noting that peace must come with a viable long-term future. “It’s not just about the terms that ends fighting,” he added. “It’s about also the terms that set up Ukraine for long-term prosperity. I think we build on that today, but there’s more work to be done.”

Representing the United States at this delicate moment were Rubio, Witkoff, and Jared Kushner. Their meeting took place as Ukraine simultaneously contends with Russian pressure on the battlefield and internal turmoil fueled by a corruption scandal. Diplomats on both sides have been targeting revisions to a draft plan developed in previous U.S.–Russia exchanges, a proposal that critics have argued leaned too far toward Moscow.

As the Sunday talks opened at the Shell Bay Club—Witkoff’s upscale development in Hallandale Beach—Rubio sought to reassure Kyiv: “The end goal is, obviously, not just the end of the war,” Rubio said. “But it’s also about securing an end to the war that leaves Ukraine sovereign and independent and with an opportunity at real prosperity.” He reminded the participants that “This is not just about peace deals.”

Ukraine’s national security chief, Rustem Umerov, responded by expressing appreciation for American support—remarks clearly intended for Trump, who has sometimes said Ukraine has not shown enough gratitude. “U.S. is hearing us,” Umerov said. “U.S. is supporting us. U.S. is working beside us.” He repeated Ukraine’s thanks in brief comments to reporters afterward, though he offered no specifics regarding what was accomplished during the meeting. “Our objective is a prosperous, strong Ukraine,” Umerov said. “We discussed all the important matters that are important for Ukraine, for Ukrainian people, and U.S. was super supportive.”

Rubio added that U.S. goals extend beyond halting the war. “We also want to help Ukraine be safe forever, so never again will they face another invasion. And equally importantly, we want them to enter an age of true prosperity,” he said, describing a future in which Ukraine is rebuilt stronger than before.

The shake-up in Kyiv’s negotiating team added another layer to the talks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the resignation of his powerful chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, whose home was searched by anti-corruption authorities investigating a sprawling kickback scheme that siphoned $100 million from the energy sector. Yermak had been Ukraine’s lead negotiator, meeting with Rubio in Geneva just a week earlier.

Ukraine’s delegation in Florida included top military commander Andrii Hnatov and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz, who joined Umerov in attempting to advance a reworked peace proposal. The initial framework—which Trump has more recently downplayed as merely a “concept” or “map” in need of being “fine-tuned”—had envisioned restricting Ukraine’s military, barring NATO entry, and mandating elections within 100 days. It also originally called for surrendering the Donbas region entirely to Russia, something Ukraine has rejected. Negotiators say changes have been made, but details remain scarce.

Trump said Tuesday that Witkoff—and possibly Kushner as well—would travel to Moscow in the coming days for another round of talks with Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Russian state TV that Putin will host Witkoff before departing for India on Thursday. Witkoff and Kushner, both seasoned dealmakers from the real estate world, previously helped craft a 20-point proposal that produced a ceasefire in Gaza.

Zelenskyy posted on X that his delegation intended to “swiftly and substantively work out the steps needed to end the war.” In his Saturday night address, he praised the American team, saying the U.S. side was “demonstrating a constructive approach.” He added: “In the coming days it is feasible to flesh out the steps to determine how to bring the war to a dignified end.”

Events on the ground underscored the urgency. Missile and drone strikes around Kyiv on Saturday killed at least three people and wounded many more, according to Ukrainian officials. Additional overnight attacks into Sunday left one dead and 19 injured—including children—after a drone slammed into a nine-story apartment building in Vyshhorod. Zelenskyy later reported on Telegram that Russia launched 122 strike drones and ballistic missiles. “Such attacks occur daily. This week alone, Russians have used nearly 1,400 strike drones, 1,100 guided aerial bombs and 66 missiles against our people. That is why we must strengthen Ukraine’s resilience every day. Missiles and air defense systems are necessary, and we must also actively work with our partners for peace,” Zelenskyy said. “We need real, reliable solutions that will help end the war,” he added.

Another flashpoint emerged after Ukraine claimed responsibility for striking a major oil terminal at Novorossiysk, operated by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. Kazakhstan criticized the attack, warning Kyiv that such actions jeopardize bilateral relations. “We view what has occurred as an action harming the bilateral relations of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Ukraine, and we expect the Ukrainian side to take effective measures to prevent similar incidents in the future,” Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said.

The Florida meeting ended without public disclosure of specific breakthroughs, but both sides suggested the pieces are beginning to shift—just as the U.S. envoy prepares to sit down with Putin in Moscow.

{Matzav.com}