Matzav

A remarkable feel-good story unfolded in New York this past week after a black Brooklyn resident who calls himself Zeus discovered a lost shtreimel and went on a mission to return it to its rightful owner. His search, documented in several videos, ended in an emotional meeting.

In his first video, Zeus addressed “my Jewish people,” explaining that although he is not himself Jewish, he has always admired the large fur hats he sees worn in Brooklyn.

“I always wanted one of these hats, the shnitzels,” he  said, mispronouncing shtreimel as he held it up to the camera, marveling at its craftsmanship and joking that it carried “power.”

He explained that he stumbled upon the hat that morning while walking in the rain: the shtreimel, still in its case, appeared to have been discarded near a heater, soaked and covered in leaves.

Viewers immediately told him that such hats can cost thousands of dollars — information that stunned him.

“Guys, this is worth $6,000,” he exclaimed. Unsure what to do and in need of money, he briefly joked about selling it before deciding to try to find the owner.

A phone number found in the box led to Zeus calling the chassidishe man who had lost the shtreimel. “My name is Zeus… I found a shmeidel? Shtreimel, yeah, a shtreimel,” he told the surprised owner, who confirmed the loss and explained the baffling backstory: the hat disappeared weeks earlier after he briefly stepped out of an Uber to call for his wife. When he returned, the car had driven off, and Uber was unable to give him the driver’s information. The driver later denied having seen the hat, leaving the owner to assume it had been discarded.

Listening to the man tell the story, Zeus described how he couldn’t bring himself to leave the item to be destroyed by rain and garbage.

“I need good karma,” he told the owner. “I’m going to try and find the owner and give it back, ’cause I know this has a lot of religious value.”

The owner, astonished to hear the shtreimel had been found in its box on a Brooklyn street, quickly arranged to pick it up. Zeus dried and cleaned it as best as he could before sharing his location.

In his final video, waiting outside with the recovered shtreimel, Zeus grew unexpectedly moved. “I don’t know why I’m emotional — I’m happy emotional,” he said as he scanned the street for the owner. The moment the chassidishe man spotted him, he rushed over joyfully. Zeus described him warmly: “He was just so sweet… almost like a sweet elf.”

The owner arrived with a small gift — a bottle of tequila — to thank him for his good deed. As Zeus handed back the shtreimel, the man repeatedly expressed his gratitude.

The exchange, bridging cultures, communities, and backgrounds, is a touching Big Apple story.

WATCH THE VIDEOS BELOW:

{Matzav.com}

As the Israeli government pushes forward with the proposed draft law for the chareidi community, members of the Peleg Yerushalmi faction associated with Rav Tzvi Friedman are preparing to launch a protest on Monday in central Israel.

The legislation, promoted in the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee headed by MK Boaz Bismuth, is expected to come to a second and third reading soon. In response, activists from Peleg are organizing a demonstration to oppose the continued advancement of the draft bill.

The protest is tentatively scheduled for tomorrow afternoon in the central region. However, organizers note that the plan is not yet final and may still be canceled.

A separate report by Channel 13’s chareidi affairs correspondent Yoely Barim indicated that the demonstration is expected to take place at 4:30 p.m. on the Geha Highway.

Meanwhile, MK Bismuth, who chairs the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, addressed the draft bill during a Likud event in Yerucham Sunday evening, praising the legislation and calling it historic. “This draft law is the most just and intelligent thing in the country and is making history,” he declared.

He continued, emphasizing the law’s guiding principle: “Whoever learns Torah, we respect him because this is a Jewish state. And whoever does not goes to the army. What’s the problem? Likud is doing this. In Likud, the public is sovereign. The Likud public is a smart public, wants what’s best for the nation, and always thinks about the future.”

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Step Inside Kollel Cheshek Shlomo

More than 2,000 years ago, the Chashmonaim merited miracles because they didn’t stop at  “good enough.” Their dedication to serving Hashem unlocked success above and beyond the laws of nature, as symbolized by the number eight.

Today, in Lakewood, the fire of that dedication continues to burn. Kollel Cheshek Shlomo, founded 8 years ago by Harav Avrohom Yeshaya Appel, has distinguished itself through single-minded focus on its mission: allowing a top-tier group of driven yungeleit to focus exclusively on their learning, without the many distractions that plague busy young families.

Generous stipends, a customized schedule, an onsite subsidized daycare center,  and bechinos that provide accountability and motivation are just a few of the KCS trademarks. A campus providing affordable student housing is underway.

Roshei Kollel Rav Yisroel Rothstein, Rav Yehuda Friedman, Rav Refoel Bisritz, and Rav Yeshaya Perl are constantly available to support the yungeleit in their limudim or anything else they need.

The “average” KCS yungerman learns 10-12 hours a day, without going home for lunch. On taaneisim, the kol Torah continues unabated without a break for bein hasedorim, with the majority of yungeleit voluntarily learning two straight sedorim–7 hours b’retzifus–while fasting.

In KCS, “good enough” and “what everyone does” are just the starting point.

The dedicated yungeleit complete entire masechtos b’iyun, with their bechinos, including the prestigious V’shinantem program, testament to their mastery of both depth and breadth of Shas.

The mutual dedication of the hanhalah to the yungeleit, and the yungeleit to their learning, creates an atmosphere that is electric, fueling extraordinary growth.

The 90+ yungeleit in the kollel, as well as over 200 in affiliated chaburos, are supported by a budget totaling over $450,000 monthly. Celebrate their dedication, above and beyond, by partnering with Kollel Cheshek Shlomo and Mosdos Kinyan Torah today.

A dramatic gathering is expected to take place this week, as the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisroel plans an emergency session in response to the proposed draft framework advanced by MK Bismuth.

According to sources, the meeting is scheduled to take place at the residence of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe in Moshav Ora. Rabbi Yaakov Veltzer, the Moetzes secretary, has been visiting the homes of gedolim to coordinate attendance and finalize arrangements for the session.

In a rare and highly significant step, several of the most prominent Sephardi roshei yeshiva and senior rabbonim are expected to join the meeting. Among those slated to participate are Rav Moshe Tzadkah, Rav Ben Zion Mutzapi, and Rav Tzvi Baron, along with other leading Sephardi authorities.

The joint participation of Chassidic leaders and major Sephardi Torah figures highlights the gravity of the moment and the broad agreement that the new draft outline poses a serious threat to the Torah community.

This emergency session comes approximately six months after the last gathering in Ora, when the Moetzes issued a sweeping directive calling on Agudas Yisroel representatives to withdraw from the government. In that previous declaration, the gedolim stated that it was no longer appropriate to remain in a government that, in their view, facilitated pressure on the Torah world and violated prior agreements. They instructed Agudah’s elected officials to leave the coalition and resign their positions.

With the draft controversy once again reaching a boiling point, political observers say the upcoming meeting may lead to similarly far-reaching decisions. The issue of conscription and what gedolim describe as a dangerous escalation against the yeshiva world could trigger major political upheaval and force United Torah Judaism and Agudas Yisroel to reconsider their place in the coalition.

{Matzav.com}

House Speaker Mike Johnson paid a formal visit Sunday to the Skverer Rebbe in New Square, where he revealed that preparations are underway for a forthcoming meeting between the Rebbe and President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington.

The Speaker’s stop in New Square came after he and Congressman Mike Lawler attended a fundraising event in Stony Point, Rockland County earlier in the afternoon. From there, the two lawmakers traveled to the Rebbe’s residence for what participants described as a warm and meaningful encounter.

Both Johnson and Lawler informed the Rebbe that they are actively arranging a private meeting in Washington between the Rebbe and President Trump, with the sit-down expected to take place in the near future.

Community askanim expressed deep appreciation for the Speaker’s involvement and for Congressman Lawler’s ongoing advocacy on behalf of local Jewish mosdos and schools.

This latest development follows a personal gesture from President Trump just two weeks ago, when he sent the Skverer Rebbe a heartfelt congratulatory letter in honor of the wedding of the Rebbe’s granddaughter. The message, printed on official White House stationery, conveyed warm wishes from the President and First Lady Melania Trump, offering blessings for joy, peace, and a home “built on tradition and guided by purpose.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu signaled that meaningful movement toward the second stage of the U.S.-crafted Gaza end-game is within reach, yet he warned that several unresolved questions—chief among them the scope and makeup of any international security presence—still stand in the way.

Standing beside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Jerusalem, Netanyahu told reporters that he expects to engage in significant talks with President Donald Trump later this month, conversations he views as essential to securing the next phase of the proposal.

Although Trump extended an invitation to Netanyahu “in the near future” back in November, the date for that White House meeting has still not been officially released.

Netanyahu said he intends to use his discussions with Trump to address the broader objective of eliminating Hamas control in Gaza. The current ceasefire, now moving into its second month, remains fragile, with both Israel and Hamas repeatedly accusing one another of undermining the agreement.

He emphasized that the terror group must not only maintain the fragile truce but must also honor “their commitment” to relinquish its weapons and allow Gaza to be fully demilitarized.

Under the first chapter of Trump’s plan, Israel maintained authority over 53% of Gaza as hostage exchanges and reciprocal detainee releases were executed. The final unresolved handover involves the remains of an Israeli police officer who fell in battle on October 7, 2023, while confronting invading terrorists. “We’ll get him out,” Netanyahu said.

Despite the pause in fighting, Hamas has managed to reconstitute itself in areas of Gaza not controlled by Israel.

The next stage of the American blueprint envisions Israel withdrawing further as a transitional administration takes hold in Gaza, a multinational force arrives on the ground, Hamas is stripped of its arsenal, and reconstruction efforts begin.

A multinational coordination hub has already been set up inside Israel, though insiders acknowledge the plan has no binding schedule and that momentum has slowed.

“What will be the timeline? What are the forces that are coming in? Will we have international forces? If not, what are the alternatives? These are all topics that are being discussed,” Netanyahu noted, calling them critical matters still in play.

Chancellor Merz said that Germany is prepared to assist with rebuilding Gaza but will wait until Netanyahu’s upcoming conversation with Trump clarifies Washington’s intentions. He added that phase two “must come now.”

Even during the ceasefire, Israel has launched numerous strikes, arguing they were aimed at preempting imminent threats or dismantling terrorist infrastructure. Gaza’s health authorities claim 373 Palestinians have died since the truce began, while three Israeli soldiers have been killed by terrorists.

Netanyahu said he also plans to speak with Trump about “opportunities for peace,” a nod to ongoing American efforts to expand Israel’s normalization with Arab and Muslim countries. “We believe there’s a path to advance a broader peace with the Arab states, and a path also to establish a workable peace with our Palestinian neighbors,” Netanyahu said, reiterating that Israel will continue to demand security control over the West Bank.

Trump has conveyed to Muslim leaders that Israel will not annex the West Bank, even as members of Netanyahu’s coalition continue to promote settlement expansion. The “question of political annexation” remains unresolved, Netanyahu acknowledged.

{Matzav.com}

Amid charges against dozens of Somali immigrants in a series of multimillion-dollar alleged fraud schemes in Minnesota, Rep. Ilhan Omar, whose district includes much of Minneapolis, told “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” that if allegations of a connection between tax dollars and al Qaeda affiliate al Shabaab are true, “that is a failure of the FBI and our court system.” She added that “if that is the case, if money from U.S. tax dollars is being sent to help with terrorism in Somalia, we want to know and we want those people prosecuted and we want to make sure that it doesn’t ever happen again.”

WATCH:

Tucker Carlson stepped into an unusual role at the Doha Forum, taking the stage across from Qatar’s foreign minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman, while joking about accusations that he’s in the pocket of Doha’s rulers. Critics like Laura Loomer have long pushed that narrative, but Carlson brushed it off with a grin, insisting again that he has never accepted a cent from Qatar. “I’m American and a free man and I’ll be wherever I want to be,” he declared to applause, adding with mock seriousness, “I have given my money to Qatar, and want to ask if that means that I bought you, and that you will spread my propaganda?” The line broke the ice before the conversation shifted into heavier terrain.

The audience quickly saw the tone shift as Carlson pushed the foreign minister on the fallout from Israel’s Sept. 9 strike in Doha. Israel had justified the bombing by claiming Hamas operatives were present—and Carlson pressed on the obvious contradiction: wasn’t it Israel and the United States who had asked Qatar to host those officials precisely to facilitate negotiations? The foreign minister confirmed that both governments had indeed requested the Hamas presence and emphasized the principle at play. “The concept of mediation is that it is a safe place for the two parties … to have a mediator be bombed by one of the parties in the conflict is unprecedented and I have said that many times. I think it is not acceptable, no one can swallow it.”

From there, Carlson introduced the elephant in the room: Washington’s stance. He restated that Trump had no advance notice of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s order to target Hamas operatives inside a residential Doha neighborhood, and that the operation derailed a delicate ceasefire push. The Qatari minister did not disagree. “President Trump was very clear from the beginning, since the attack …he expressed his frustration, his disappointment for such a thing,” he said. He stressed that Qatar had been instrumental in the negotiations. “He knows how helpful we were to this process. This kind of move was shocking for him…it was happening while we were trying to convince Hamas to sign the offer by President Trump at that time.”

The foreign minister went even further, saying the strike crossed a line the U.S. leader had explicitly set. “He made it clear to everyone that this was a red line,” he said, characterizing the bombing as part of “many efforts to sabotage the relations between Qatar and the United States.” Carlson noted that the U.S. later pushed Netanyahu to apologize, followed soon after by a significant new security agreement between Washington and Doha.

Another part of the conversation tackled the long-running effort to paint Qatar as a financier of Islamist extremism. The foreign minister blasted those portrayals as deliberate smears. He reminded the room that Doha’s funding in Gaza was humanitarian support provided with Israel’s approval and with full visibility from the U.S. “When they claim this financing of Hamas it has no basis,” he said. He added that Qatar’s lobbying in Washington has a simple aim: “To make sure we are not being attacked.” As he put it, “Qatar has never gone to the U.S. to encourage them to bomb this country or support that country. We have always been about how we can get to peace in the region.”

When the discussion turned to the Trump peace plan and the question of rebuilding Gaza, the foreign minister insisted that Qatar would not shoulder the reconstruction costs alone. He argued that meaningful progress cannot begin until Israeli military activity stops, and dismissed the idea that Doha would be writing the major checks for postwar rebuilding. “We are not the ones who are going to write the check,” he said, although he reiterated that Qatar will continue supporting Palestinians directly.

{Matzav.com}

Just days after wiping away the federal bribery case against him, President Donald Trump publicly rebuked Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar for sticking with the Democratic Party and immediately filing for another term under its banner.

Cuellar and his wife were pardoned on Wednesday, clearing them of allegations that they took payments from Azerbaijan and a Mexican financial institution in exchange for political favors. That same day, the congressman signaled he would stay put as a Democrat and announced his re-election bid.

Trump, reacting on Sunday, claimed Cuellar had been “punished” by Democrats because he occasionally challenged the party’s stance on immigration—only to then complain that Cuellar had repaid his intervention with disloyalty.

His remarks underscored once again the expectation Trump places on individuals who benefit from his help. “I never spoke to the Congressman, his wife, or his daughters, but felt very good about fighting for a family that was tormented by very sick and deranged people – They were treated sooo BADLY!” he wrote on Truth Social. “Such a lack of LOYALTY, something that Texas Voters, and Henry’s daughters, will not like. Oh’ well, next time, no more Mr. Nice guy!”

Cuellar, long known as one of the House’s more moderate Democrats, represents a South Texas district that Republicans redrew in August to strengthen their chances there. Even with the new map, Cuellar remains a formidable incumbent with a viable path to victory in the 2026 midterms.

The GOP gained another advantage on Thursday when the U.S. Supreme Court allowed Texas’s revised congressional map to stand, a significant win for Republicans aiming to preserve their majority in the House.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump’s newly launched “Trump accounts” initiative is reshaping the conversation about how early Americans should begin building financial security. The program sets aside $1,000 for every child born from 2025 through 2028, placing the funds directly into investment accounts designed to grow with the stock market over nearly two decades.

The Treasury Department’s financial agent would open each account and invest the seed money in broad U.S. equity index funds, including options tied to the S&P 500. Families would later gain the ability to transfer the account to a brokerage of their choosing, though several operational details and specific investment options have yet to be finalized.

Supporters argue the initiative offers children access to the kinds of investment vehicles that typically benefit families who already participate in the markets. By focusing on market exposure and growth rather than traditional savings accounts, the plan aims to give all families—even those who do not regularly invest—an early stake in long-term wealth-building.

University at Buffalo finance professor Scott Laing emphasized that the strategy hinges on the power of compounding, telling KCRA that the real advantage over bank savings is the steady accumulation of earnings on top of prior gains. According to Laing, the S&P 500 has averaged more than 10% annual returns since 1957, meaning an initial $1,000 investment could balloon to roughly $5,600 by the time a child turns 18.

However, Laing noted that the final amount may be reduced once taxes and penalties enter the picture. KCRA reported that when the account automatically converts into an IRA at age 18, withdrawals taken before age 59½ may incur the standard 10% early-withdrawal penalty along with applicable taxes. As a result, the spendable value could land closer to $3,600 depending on individual circumstances.

The initiative is folded into Trump’s broader “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” with July 4, 2026, targeted as the official launch date. Funds inside the account would grow tax-deferred, and contributions from families could reach up to $5,000 per year, with anticipated employer participation capped at about $2,500 annually.

While critics contend the greatest benefits may accrue to families capable of adding more money, advocates say the broader goal is to democratize access to American economic growth. Even a small foothold in the markets, they argue, can become a foothold in the country’s future.

Adding significant momentum to the effort, billionaires Michael and Susan Dell announced a $6.25 billion commitment to support 25 million young children living in ZIP codes with median family incomes at or below $150,000. Their pledge injects major private-sector backing into a program aiming to bring millions of Americans into the investment economy from birth.

{Matzav.com}

At a high-profile gathering at the Doha Forum, Donald Trump Jr. raised the possibility that President Donald Trump could decide to step away from the U.S.-led push to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war. In remarks that challenged both the current diplomatic track and the political motivations of those involved, he cautioned that the United States should not feel compelled to bankroll an indefinite effort without clear prospects for an end to the fighting.

Sky News reported that when Trump Jr. was asked directly whether the president might back out of the peace initiative, he responded plainly, “I think he may.” He argued that his father’s decision-making style keeps foreign leaders on edge, saying his father is “unpredictable,” which, in his view, forces other negotiators “to negotiate more honestly.”

According to The Guardian, Trump Jr. offered a harsh assessment of Kyiv’s leadership, accusing Ukraine of prolonging the war and alleging that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally benefits from the conflict’s continuation. He claimed Zelenskyy has been elevated by liberal politicians into a “borderline deity,” raising doubts about whether the massive sums sent abroad are being monitored with sufficient transparency.

His comments came shortly after U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, met with two senior Ukrainian officials in Miami. That meeting followed recent U.S.-Russia negotiations in Moscow and was cast as part of the administration’s ongoing attempt to explore possible off-ramps for the war.

Trump Jr. did not limit his criticism to Kyiv. He reserved sharp words for European governments as well, faulting their sanctions regime and mocking the idea that waiting for Russia to financially collapse constitutes a plan. The Guardian reported that he argued Europe’s measures have failed to choke off Russian war funding and instead contributed to rising global oil prices, giving Moscow continued revenue.

Returning repeatedly to an “America First” theme, Trump Jr. warned against the United States becoming, as he put it, “the idiot with the checkbook.” He insisted that most Americans do not rank Ukraine among the nation’s core priorities, especially when issues such as drug trafficking and cartel activity pose what he called a “far greater clear and present danger” to U.S. communities.

He drew a contrast between the administration’s aggressive efforts against criminal networks and what he described as public fatigue over “endless wars,” arguing that the narcotics crisis endangers American families more immediately than a distant battlefield stalemate.

At one point, Trump Jr. referenced seeing numerous high-end cars with Ukrainian plates in Monaco, using the anecdote to claim that wealthy Ukrainians have largely avoided the hardships of war while ordinary citizens endure its sacrifices. He went even further by asserting that Ukraine is “far more corrupt than Russia,” remarks that are likely to ignite debate among supporters of sustained U.S. aid to Kyiv.

{Matzav.com}

A storm of criticism has erupted around Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani after he chose Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari — a progressive activist who publicly expressed admiration for convicted cop-killer Assata Shakur — to serve on his youth and education transition team, according to The NY Post.

Shaakir-Ansari, who helps lead the Alliance for Quality Education, was tapped last week to advise the incoming administration on public-school matters. Her past comments resurfaced almost immediately, including an interview with Lingua Franca in which she was asked to choose any woman in history to spend an afternoon with.

Her answer drew immediate fire.

“Assata Shakur — I believe she has so much to offer. With all of the reflection you must have done after all of the years as a Black Panther, what advice do you have for black women to move the movement while also caring for each other?” she said.

Assata Shakur — born Joanne Deborah Chesimard — was convicted for the 1973 killing of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster after a gun battle on the New Jersey Turnpike. She had been traveling with Zayd Malik Shakur and Sundiata Acoli when state troopers stopped them for a broken taillight, prompting a shootout that left Foerster dead.

Before her involvement with the Black Liberation Army, she was aligned with the Black Panthers and immersed in radical political activity during the 1970s. In 1977 she was convicted of murder and assault, but in 1979 a team of armed BLA members broke her out of the Clinton Correctional Facility for Women, took hostages, and fled in a hijacked van.

Shakur ultimately escaped to Cuba in 1984, where the communist regime granted her asylum. Calling herself a “20th century escaped slave,” she remained a fugitive for decades and was placed on the FBI’s most wanted terrorist list in May 2013 — the first woman ever added.

For families of fallen police officers, Mamdani’s decision to elevate someone who venerates Shakur felt like a painful slap.

“Supporting a cop killer, you know, is not . . . a good thing,” said Grace Machate, whose husband, NYPD Officer Robert Machate, was murdered in 1989 while she was seven months pregnant.

Her husband, like Foerster, was gunned down during what began as a routine traffic stop involving “two suspicious males.”

“When someone kills an officer, whether he’s from New Jersey, New York or Alabama, I don’t care. It’s something that families are going to stick together on,” she said.

Retired NYPD lieutenant and US Marine Eric Dym reacted with disbelief at Mamdani’s choice.

“That’s unbelievable. I don’t think it’s a small oversight. I think it’s a conscious decision,” said Dym.

He added a blunt warning about what this signals to the rank and file: “When someone with that history is given a seat at the table it sends the message that your sacrifice is negotiable . . . this just strips away at the morale of the NYPD.”

John Macari, a retired NYPD lieutenant and co-host of the “New York’s Finest: Retired and Unfiltered Podcast,” argued that while Shaakir-Ansari can hold any views she wants, they shouldn’t shape city policy.

“Shaakir-Ansari has every right to her opinions, but she should have no business shaping education policy in a city where thousands of cops entrust their own kids to be educated and kept safe,” he said.

Shaakir-Ansari, a grandmother and longtime education advocate, has been involved in activism for roughly twenty years. In 2017, she appeared on City and State New York Magazine’s list of the 25 most influential Brooklyn leaders. She even launched a clothing line last year, raising $15,000 through GoFundMe.

During the mayoral campaign, Mamdani sparked additional backlash when he declined to denounce a glowing tribute to Shakur posted by the Democratic Socialists of America after her death.

“We vow to honor her legacy by recognizing our duty to fight for our freedom, to win, to love and protect one another because we have nothing to lose but our chains,” the DSA said on X.

Pressed by The Post to respond to the DSA statement, Mamdani sidestepped the issue.

“I am running to be the mayor of New York City,” he said. “I am running to represent the people of New York City. My focus is on the issues of the city, and I’m accountable to those same New Yorkers.”

Law-enforcement experts warn that appointments like this are a troubling signal for the coming administration. Retired NYPD sergeant and John Jay Professor Joe Giacolone said the fallout will be swift.

“You pick someone who praises a cop killer, you don’t need a slide rule to figure out what’s going on here — there’s gonna be two types of cops left, those who want to get out and can, and those who want to get out and can’t.”

{Matzav.com}

Sen. Tom Cotton used a Sunday interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” to issue a full-throated endorsement of the Trump administration’s lethal actions against cartel-linked vessels, arguing that the mission is both legally justified and essential for protecting American lives. Cotton, who was briefed on the strikes in his capacity as Senate Intelligence Committee chair, described the objective in blunt terms: stop the narcotics flow by eliminating the boats pushing them toward U.S. interests.

According to Cotton, the nature of the threat leaves little ambiguity. “Destroy these drug boats,” he said, emphasizing that the same smuggling networks are responsible for overdose deaths in his own state and across the nation. He told host Kristen Welker, “The order, like the entire operation, Kristen, is to destroy these drug boats, which are running drugs into our country from foreign drug cartels and traffickers that are killing hundreds of Arkansans every year and hundreds of thousands of Americans.”

NBC News previously revealed that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth authorized a strike that resulted in all 11 individuals aboard a targeted craft being killed after U.S. intelligence labeled them “narco-terrorists.” Cotton said he never heard anyone refer to a formal “target list,” but he did say officials conveyed “high confidence based on multiple sources of intelligence that everyone on that boat was part of a foreign terrorist organization” and therefore “valid targets.”

He pushed back sharply against claims circulating in earlier press accounts that the U.S. military had fired upon “helpless survivors.” Cotton flatly rejected that depiction, insisting the men weren’t drifting unprotected or clinging to debris. Instead, he said they remained on an overturned vessel and were “not incapacitated in any way.”

Cotton defended the decision to conduct a secondary strike as both appropriate and lawful. He argued that it was necessary “to make sure that its cargo was destroyed,” and maintained, “It is in no way a violation of the law of war.”

Some Democrats who viewed classified footage disagreed, suggesting the individuals appeared stranded or possibly attempting to surrender. Cotton dismissed that reading entirely, underscoring that the vessel, its drugs, and the crew remained legitimate military objectives in an ongoing counter-cartel operation.

Even when Welker noted that the shipment might have first been destined for Suriname before being moved elsewhere, Cotton insisted that such nuances don’t change the equation. He argued that smuggling networks routinely shift loads between different boats, and any cartel-manned craft carrying narcotics poses a direct danger. “Any boat loaded with drugs that is crewed by associates and members of foreign terrorist organizations that are trying to kill American kids I think is a valid target,” he said. “I’m not just comfortable with it, I want to continue it.”

Cotton added that he supports declassifying and releasing the strike footage, describing it as standard operational video and “not gruesome,” though he acknowledged the Pentagon may need to safeguard sensitive intelligence practices before doing so.

Efforts to revive the fragile communications line between Israel and Qatar have quietly resumed in New York, where Mossad chief David Barnea has sat down with a top Qatari representative at the urging of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, according to Axios. Two sources told the outlet that this discussion marks the launch of a three-way framework intended to stabilize the damaged relationship after the strike in Qatar on September 9 disrupted months of delicate diplomacy.

The September operation, aimed at senior Hamas political figures, did not eliminate the leadership it targeted, but it did result in the deaths of several lower-ranking Hamas operatives as well as a Qatari guard. The fallout was immediate. Qatar, which had been the central mediator between Israel and Hamas throughout the Gaza conflict, abruptly halted its involvement and demanded accountability for what it viewed as a violation of its sovereignty.

Barnea’s meeting represents the most senior-level engagement since that episode. According to the report, the goal is to determine whether the two sides can rebuild the cooperation that existed before the strike and re-establish Qatar’s role in facilitating negotiations despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Israel and Doha.

In an effort to contain the crisis back in late September, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu personally conveyed an apology to Qatar’s prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, acknowledging that Qatari sovereignty had been breached.

The conversation in New York is expected to revolve around whether a path can be charted toward the next stage of the Gaza ceasefire process. Axios notes that the meeting is intended to probe how — and whether — Israel, Qatar, and the United States can resume coordinated mediation after weeks of strained silence.

{Matzav.com}

During an extensive visit to key hotspots inside Gaza on Sunday, Chief of the General Staff LTG Eyal Zamir surveyed front-line positions alongside top southern commanders, receiving a close-up briefing on current battlefield conditions and the next phase of operations. He moved through areas including Beit Hanoun and Jabaliya, where division leaders outlined the pace of recent missions and the broader strategic picture.

As he addressed the commanders, Zamir made clear that the army views the campaign as far from finished. “We are operating to thwart and remove threats in all arenas,” he began, underscoring that Israeli forces will counter aggression wherever it appears. He added firmly, “We will not tolerate threats against our troops, and we will respond to any attempt. We have freedom of operation – both here in the Southern Command and across all arenas.”

Zamir highlighted that the military intends to block any attempt by Hamas to rebuild or reorganize. “We will not allow Hamas to reestablish itself. We have operational control over extensive parts of the Gaza Strip and we will remain on those defense lines. The Yellow Line is a new border line – serving as a forward defensive line for our communities and a line of operational activity.”

Turning to the matter of the hostages, he noted that Israel’s responsibility continues. “The overwhelming majority of our hostages have returned, but our mission will not be complete until the last fallen hostage, SFC Ran Gvili, is brought home.”

Zamir warned his officers against easing their posture in the coming period. “We must not be complacent. We must be prepared in all arenas and maintain readiness and alertness, while maintaining operational norms. The IDF is preparing for surprise attack scenarios – this is one of the cornerstones of the upcoming multi-year plan.”

He spoke at length about the vital role of the reserves and the need to bolster them for future challenges. “The security and existence of the State of Israel depend on the IDF, with reserve troops being a central component. You achieved unprecedented successes throughout the war, and your level of readiness and capability is extremely high.”

Looking ahead, Zamir outlined legislative steps meant to support the force. “We are advancing several laws intended to strengthen the IDF and its readiness, and in doing so also ease the burden on the reserve troops. We must reinforce and expand the reserve array – this is a central mission in the IDF’s force build up process.”

He also referenced the internal reviews completed regarding October 7, stressing their importance for institutional improvement. “In recent weeks, we concluded the inquiries into October 7th. The inquiries are a crucial component in learning the lessons needed to prevent another October 7th. We are leading the IDF toward learning, developing, and strengthening in order to prepare for future challenges. You are partners in advancing the IDF forward.”

During a public discussion at the Doha Forum on Sunday, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Abdulrahman Al 20 made it unmistakably clear that his country has no intention of underwriting the massive cost of rebuilding Gaza, pushing back against widespread assumptions that Doha would serve as the primary financier. “We are not the ones who are going to write the check to rebuild what others destroyed,” Al Thani declared as he spoke on stage.

Instead, he stressed that Qatar’s role will remain focused on humanitarian relief. He emphasized that Doha will continue assisting Palestinians in immediate need, while making sure any support directly addresses their suffering. “Our payments will only go to help the Palestinian people if we see that the help coming to them is insufficient,” he said, declining to provide further detail.

His comments add a new degree of uncertainty to an already murky global picture surrounding Gaza’s reconstruction. Doha had long been perceived as the most likely backer of rebuilding efforts—particularly because other Gulf powers such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE have conditioned any substantial investment on a credible political plan leading toward Palestinian statehood, a path Israel opposes.

International agencies have painted a dire picture of the scale of devastation. The UN announced in November that repairing Gaza’s shattered infrastructure could cost around $70 billion, noting that roughly 75 percent of all structures in the Strip have either been destroyed or damaged beyond function. Despite some commitments—such as the EU’s $1.87 billion pledge in April and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent offer of $100 million—no clear financial framework exists for covering the enormous shortfall.

The Doha Forum interview ended with an unexpected twist, when American political commentator Tucker Carlson told Al Thani—and the audience—that he would soon be purchasing property in Qatar. “I have been criticized as being a tool of Qatar… I’ve never taken anything from your country and don’t plan to. I am, however, tomorrow, buying a place in Qatar,” Carlson remarked. “I’m doing that because I like the city, I think it’s beautiful, but also to make the statement that I’m an American and a free man and I’ll be wherever I want to be,” he added.

Qatar’s relationship with the United States has been a central pillar of its foreign policy, and the country has invested heavily in maintaining those ties. Washington designates Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, and Doha has made high-profile gestures toward President Donald Trump, including gifting him a luxury aircraft in May to serve as a new Air Force One due to delays in America’s own procurement process.

Al Thani argued that there are actors “putting in a lot of effort to sabotage the relationship between Qatar and the United States and to try to demonize anyone who will come to this country.” He noted that Qatar continues to engage with Washington “to make sure that this relationship is safeguarded and the relationship for us is mutually beneficial.” As he put it, “We pay all these amounts for lobbying only to protect and to safeguard this relationship.”

Qatar has played a crucial diplomatic role as a mediator in the US-backed Gaza truce, though it has faced criticism from American and Israeli officials over its long-standing hosting of Hamas’s political leadership—a policy Doha maintains was carried out with the approval of Washington beginning in 2012. Throughout these debates, Qatar has categorically rejected claims that it funds the terror group, insisting its involvement has centered on conflict mediation, not support.

If Qatar now pulls back from reconstruction commitments, the world may be left with a question no one seems ready to answer: who, if anyone, will rebuild Gaza?

{Matzav.com}

A new examination by The New York Times paints a portrait of an administration that repeatedly hesitated at critical moments, brushing aside early guidance that might have eased the humanitarian and political fallout at the southern border. Advisers raised alarms during the first weeks of Joe Biden’s presidency, cautioning that dismantling Trump-era restrictions too quickly could spark “chaos,” yet those internal concerns were overridden as the White House raced to reset immigration policy.

The rapid reversal of deterrence measures sent migrant encounters soaring almost immediately in 2021. Processing centers buckled under the influx, major cities absorbed financial and logistical strain, and public frustration escalated as images of overrun facilities and overwhelmed municipalities dominated the news cycle. According to the Times, Biden’s team misread both the scale of global migration pressures and how sharply voters would react to the crisis.

Interviews with former officials reveal a White House deeply sensitive to criticism from progressive activists. Political advisers worried that any move toward tougher enforcement could fracture Biden’s coalition. That reluctance, they now say, boxed the administration in and ceded a powerful opening for Donald Trump and his allies heading into 2024.

The Times outlines repeated internal efforts to pursue more assertive responses — from streamlining asylum processing to expanding short-term holding space or implementing stronger deterrence tools — but many of those ideas stalled. In some instances, officials recalled policy blueprints being floated, dissected, and ultimately watered down or abandoned. One even described plans for a major border speech that were shelved entirely, leaving the public with the impression that the administration hoped the crisis would fade on its own.

The absence of a clear guiding approach was summed up starkly by Scott Shuchart, who joined the administration in 2022 as a senior adviser at Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Biden White House “had no strategy, because they had no goal,” he said. “All they had was wishing the problem would go away so that they could focus on the things they cared about.”

As the Times noted, this vacuum met a system already buckling under outdated statutes and an asylum backlog that can take years to adjudicate. Biden initially maintained Title 42 but quickly unwound other restrictions, halted further border wall work, narrowed enforcement priorities, and moved to suspend “Remain in Mexico.” Former aides told the Times these steps were widely interpreted by migrants as a signal that border controls were loosening, adding momentum to already rising flows driven by instability abroad and cartel operations.

By spring of 2022, pressure on border states boiled over. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott launched busing operations to Washington, D.C., both to relieve small border towns and to protest what he argued was federal inaction. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis soon adopted a similar tactic. Mayors across the country appealed for coordination and federal support, but the Times reported that Washington remained locked in disputes over legal authority and concerns about “incentivizing” even more migration.

At the same time, Biden’s expansion of “legal pathways” and humanitarian parole drew intense scrutiny. Critics charged that these mechanisms served as an “open border” workaround that sidestepped Congress, while the administration defended them as part of a compassionate and orderly framework.

By the point the White House pivoted toward tighter enforcement as the 2024 election loomed, the operational strain, political deterioration, and cultural polarization surrounding the issue had already taken root — a trajectory internal critics say might have been avoided had early warnings been heeded.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu made it clear he has no intention of stepping away from public life in return for leniency in his corruption case, dismissing any notion that he would bargain his political future for a pardon.

During a joint appearance with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, a reporter raised the question of whether he would consider leaving politics as part of a plea arrangement. Netanyahu answered with trademark humor. “They’re very concerned with my future. They want to make sure that — how shall I say this? — They’re concerned with my future,” he jokes, prompting laughter at the press event.

Netanyahu said the real arbiters of his future were not prosecutors or political analysts, but the Israeli public. “Well, so are the voters, and they’ll decide, obviously,” he says, before shifting the focus to Israel’s growing partnership with Germany. He noted that both countries were engaged in far-reaching initiatives that would exceed even the high level of collaboration forged in previous years. “We have big tasks to do, including with Germany in historic cooperation that will actually, actually will, in many ways, tower over our previous cooperation, which was quite amazing,” he says.

Gesturing toward Merz, Netanyahu added a playful nod to the chancellor’s height. The continuing strength of Israeli-German relations, he suggested, was only fitting given the stature of his counterpart: “But that’s not surprising, because, as you can see, Chancellor Merz is a towering figure,” he says.

{Matzav.com}

New York’s political and health leadership unleashed an intense backlash on Friday after a federal advisory panel voted to strip away the long-standing recommendation that every newborn in the United States receive the hepatitis B vaccine immediately after birth. What had been a universal guideline for decades was recast by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) as a selective recommendation, applying only to babies whose mothers test positive for the virus or have not been screened.

The shift—an 8–3 vote—was met with alarm from public health officials nationwide, many of whom emphasized that the routine birth dose has been widely credited with preventing thousands of hepatitis B infections over the years. Under the new guidance, newborns of mothers who test negative would start the vaccine series at two months unless parents and clinicians decide otherwise.

New York leaders quickly became some of the loudest voices condemning the move. Gov. Kathy Hochul, outraged by the committee’s decision and the administration overseeing it, accused national policymakers of endangering vulnerable children. “As a mom who spent countless doctor’s office visits making sure my kids were vaccinated to protect them from deadly diseases, it’s devastating to see the Trump administration willing to let babies and children die,” she said. She added, “I guess nothing should surprise us anymore,” continuing her critiques of the administration’s broader health policies.

City officials echoed the alarm. Dr. Michelle Morse, New York City’s acting health commissioner, publicly rejected the credibility of the advisory group itself. “The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which guides our nation’s vaccine policy, is no longer a trusted source,” she said, arguing that the panel’s pivot disregards decades of established research. “The decision to ignore nearly thirty years of successful clinical evidence is harmful. We are witnessing the creation of confusion at the expense of our nation’s health, with significant risk toward our babies.”

In response to the uproar, the New York State Department of Health emphasized that the federal vote would not affect state policy. “These national advisory votes do not alter New York’s evidence-based recommendations, which continue to include a hepatitis B vaccine birth dose for every newborn, without delay, as well as completion of the full vaccine series in infancy,” the department announced. The NYC Health Department likewise affirmed its position, with Morse reiterating that her office “continues to strongly recommend the hepatitis B vaccine for all newborns to protect the health of our youngest New Yorkers.”

The controversy also drew attention to the makeup of the advisory committee itself, as all current ACIP members were appointed by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is widely known for his anti-vaccine advocacy. The intersection of policy, politics, and public health has now set off a nationwide debate over how vaccine recommendations should be crafted—and who should be shaping them.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump pressed the Baseball Hall of Fame selection committee to reverse years of rejection and finally induct pitcher Roger Clemens, issuing an extended appeal on Truth Social that celebrated Clemens’s legacy while sharply criticizing the forces he believes kept the star out of Cooperstown.

In his message, Trump urged the voters to act decisively as they meet to consider new inductees. “The Baseball Hall of Fame Committee is voting on admitting new Members TOMORROW, and these highly respected owners, executives, writers, and, most importantly, Hall of Famers, should do the right thing by finally putting Roger Clemens, known as ‘The Rocket,’ in the Hall!” he wrote, calling on the panel to correct what he views as years of unfair treatment.

Trump went on to highlight Clemens’s extraordinary career, laying out the statistical record he believes leaves no doubt about the pitcher’s place in baseball history: “Roger is clearly one of the Greatest Pitchers of All Time, with amazing achievements that include winning 354 Games, seven Cy Young Awards (A Record, by a lot!), and playing in six World Series, winning two. ‘The Rocket’ is second only to another All Time GREAT, Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, in most strike-outs,” he wrote.

He then turned his ire toward the Justice Department under President Barack Obama, claiming its failed attempt to prosecute Clemens on perjury allegations over suspected steroid use derailed his Hall of Fame chances. Clemens, who consistently denied wrongdoing, was acquitted of all charges in 2012.

The message continued with Trump insisting that the lack of induction is indefensible. “Roger Clemens is the only pitcher who has won 300 games to not have the honor of being enshrined in the Hall of Fame, which is a total travesty! The only reason he is not is because of rumors and innuendo, which were not proven. He never tested positive and, when the Obama DOJ went after him in a criminal case claiming that he did take steroids, Roger, who has always denied taking any drugs, was FULLY ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES. ‘The Rocket,’ a nickname he earned very early in his career because of his blazing fastball, was just as dominant before those erroneous allegations were leveled against him. I sincerely hope that the Committee uses its great judgment (Roger’s opponents never proved a thing against him, and he may have the best pitching record, all told, in the History of Baseball!), and the Baseball Commissioner has the Strength, Wisdom, and Power to do the right thing, and put Roger Clemens in The Baseball Hall of Fame, IMMEDIATELY! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT”

Trump has long been vocal about Clemens’s omission from Cooperstown and has previously encouraged the legendary pitcher to pursue legal action against Major League Baseball over the continued snub.

{Matzav.com}