Matzav

Dear Matzav Inbox,

Every few years, the same script gets dusted off, the same alarms are sounded, and the same hysteria is repackaged. This time, the hashkafah villain of the hour is AI.

Suddenly, we are told it is uniquely dangerous, spiritually radioactive, a threat to the very fabric of Yiddishkeit. People are “yelling.” Flyers are warning. Speeches are thundering. And once again, common sense is nowhere to be found.

Give me a break.

AI is not some supernatural force of tumah. It is a tool. A powerful one, yes—but a tool nonetheless. And if we’re being honest, it is no more inherently treif than a smartphone, the internet, email, or a laptop. All of those can be used for garbage—or for tremendous good. The difference has never been the technology. The difference is the user.

Let’s not pretend we haven’t been here before.

When phones became smart, we were told they would destroy kedusha. When internet access became widespread, it was described as an open sewer. When texting appeared, people warned it would end normal human communication. And yet—somehow—Klal Yisroel survived. Not only survived, but adapted. Guardrails were built. Filters were installed. גבולות were drawn. Life went on.

Were the dangers real? Of course. Are they real with AI? Absolutely. No one is denying that. But danger does not equal prohibition, and fear does not equal wisdom.

If “it can be misused” is the standard, then we need to ban phones, cars, credit cards, microphones, printing presses, and pens. Kefirah can be written by a machine, but it can also be written by a human being. The כלי is not the problem. The lack of yiras Shamayim is.

There is a difference between responsible guidance and panic. Between caution and absolutism. Between leadership and yelling.

We do not need screaming proclamations that everything new is treif by default. We need measured voices, thoughtful boundaries, and adults who trust other adults to act responsibly within halacha.

A little perspective would go a long way. A chill pill wouldn’t hurt either.

Sincerely,
A tired observer of tech panic cycles

To submit a letter to appear on Matzav.com, email MatzavInbox@gmail.com

DON’T MISS OUT! Join the Matzav Status by CLICKING HERE. Join the Matzav WhatsApp Groups by CLICKING HERE.

The opinions expressed in letters on Matzav.com do not necessarily reflect the stance of the Matzav Media Network.

The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee continued deliberations Tuesday on the proposed draft law, focusing on enforcement clauses that would allow the imposition of financial sanctions on yeshivos and their officials.

The discussion centered on Sections 26K1 through 26K16 of the bill, which outline mechanisms for financial penalties as part of the law’s implementation. Under the proposal, the director-general of the Israeli Ministry of Defense would be authorized to levy monetary fines if it is determined that at least five percent of a given yeshiva’s students do not meet the “declared condition” — namely, that they are engaged in regular Torah study for a minimum of 45 hours per week, or 40 hours per week in the case of a kollel.

The declaration would be submitted by a senior official of the yeshiva who also serves as an authorized signatory for the nonprofit organization or public-benefit corporation that operates the institution. If a violation is found, the defense ministry’s director-general could impose a fine of up to 20,000 shekels, after granting the official an opportunity to present arguments.

In addition, the bill provides for a fine of 1,500 shekels for each student regarding whom a declaration was submitted that does not comply with the law’s requirements. The proposal further states that an official who is sanctioned more than once, or who is fined in connection with five or more students, would lose the right to submit additional affidavits seeking deferments from military service.

The legislation would also require the director-general of the Defense Ministry to submit a report every six months to the committee detailing the number of sanctions imposed, their total monetary value, and the grounds on which they were issued.

During the session, members of bereaved families addressed the committee with emotional testimony. Mia Moreno, the widow of Lt. Col. Emanuel Moreno, said: “Both of my sons serve in the army. No leniencies apply to me — if they don’t enlist, they go to prison, and they are IDF orphans. How can it be that the State of Israel discriminates between citizens? One of my sons studied for two years in yeshiva, a talmid chacham, and chose to enlist in a regular army unit. There is great value to Torah, but Torah without a connection to the state — I question what its value is.”

Michal Castel-Keidar, the widow of Lt. Col. Dolev Keidar, also spoke at the hearing. “We are not a religious family, but Dolev commanded a company of yeshiva students and did everything he could to ensure they received what they needed,” she said. “How is it not self-evident that everyone who lives in this country must also help defend it?”

{Matzav.com}

New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani revealed Tuesday that he is selecting Ramzi Kassem, a lawyer whose past work has drawn controversy, to serve as the city’s chief counsel, the highest legal position in City Hall.

Mamdani, who is set to be sworn in on January 1, said Kassem will take on the role of chief counsel. He also announced additional senior legal and policy appointments, naming Steven Banks, who has described himself as a “social justice attorney,” as corporation counsel, and Helen Arteaga as deputy mayor for health and human services.

Kassem previously served in the Biden White House as a senior policy adviser on immigration within the Domestic Policy Council.

His legal career includes acting as lead defense counsel for Ahmed al-Darbi, an al Qaeda operative who in 2014 pleaded guilty before a U.S. military commission to conspiracy related to a terrorist attack on the French oil tanker MV Limburg off the coast of Yemen. The attack killed one civilian and wounded others. Al-Darbi was convicted in 2017 and, in 2018, was transferred by the Trump administration into Saudi Arabian custody.

“While it may not make him whole, my hope is that repatriation at least marks the end of injustice for Ahmed,” Kassem said at the time of the transfer, adding he had “16 long and painful years in captivity.”

More recently, in 2025, Kassem represented Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and anti-Israel activist who was arrested by ICE over his alleged involvement in leading antisemitic protests on campus. Khalil has since been released, though the case remains unresolved.

In announcing the appointment, Mamdani praised Kassem’s background and values.

“I will turn to Ramzi for his remarkable experience and his commitment to defending those too often abandoned by our legal system,” Mamdani said.

The mayor-elect added that “City Hall will be stronger with him in it, and our work of building a more prosperous city for all will have a powerful advocate.”

“My sincere hope is that New Yorkers who have long felt on the margins of this city, the homeless veteran straining to survive, the patient searching for the care that they need, an immigrant trying to get by will feel that they now have leaders in their corner who understand their struggles and care to fight for them,” Mamdani went on, adding, “That is the city I want to build. The prosperity I intend to deliver and the leadership that has too long been lacking.”

Kassem responded by expressing gratitude for the appointment and a sense of obligation to the city.

He said the role represents a “call of duty to serve the city that I’ve called home, the city that embraced me.”

“I grew up in war-torn countries in the Middle East, authoritarian regimes, and New York City was really my first stable and permanent home,” said Kassem. “This is an opportunity for me to repay that debt. I’ve been trying to repay that debt ever since I came to this country, ever since I immigrated.”

Kassem is also the founder of the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility law clinic, known as CLEAR, which states on its website that its mission is “to support Muslim and all other client, communities, and movements in the New York City area and beyond that are targeted by local, state, or federal government agencies under the guise of national security and counterterrorism.”

{Matzav.com}

As investigations widen into multiple alleged fraud schemes involving Minnesota’s social services programs, Gov. Tim Walz is facing mounting criticism from high-profile figures and federal officials.

President Donald Trump has publicly described Minnesota as a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity,” as his administration and members of Congress move forward with probes into the state’s handling of federally funded aid programs.

Elon Musk weighed in sharply on Tuesday, offering a blunt assessment of the Minnesota governor.

“Traitor Tim Walz,” Musk said in a Tuesday post on X.

Musk’s comment was prompted by a separate social media post that mocked a hypothetical call to personal finance radio host Dave Ramsey, describing Walz’s record as governor.

That post cited claims that Walz raised taxes, depleted billions of dollars from a state budget surplus, and is now under scrutiny over multiple alleged fraud schemes involving Medicaid and other programs intended to feed children.

One of the largest investigations centers on the “Feeding Our Future” scandal, a $250 million scheme that allegedly exploited a federally funded children’s nutrition program overseen by Minnesota during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The scheme took advantage of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to waive certain Federal Child Nutrition Program requirements, according to investigators.

So far, at least 77 individuals have been charged in connection with that case.

Another major investigation involves Minnesota’s Housing Stability Services Program, which provided Medicaid coverage for housing stabilization services aimed at individuals with disabilities, mental health conditions, and substance-use disorders.

The Justice Department has charged fewer than a dozen people to date in that case, but authorities have indicated that additional charges are expected.

Many of those charged across the various cases are members of Minnesota’s Somali community, a fact that drew national attention after Trump announced in November that he was ending Temporary Protected Status for Somali migrants in the state, which had shielded them from deportation.

On Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security said it is taking an active role in addressing the alleged misconduct.

“Our investigative agents are conducting a massive operation to identify, arrest, and remove criminals who are defrauding the American people. We will root out this rampant fraud plaguing Minnesota,” the Department of Homeland Security wrote on X.

Despite the growing investigations, state officials have pushed back strongly against claims that fraud has been ignored or enabled at the highest levels.

That defense intensified after a viral video posted Friday by YouTuber Nick Shirley drew widespread attention to alleged misconduct at Minnesota childcare and learning centers.

A spokesperson for Walz responded by saying the governor has spent years working to combat fraud and has taken steps to improve oversight of state-administered programs.

Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families Commissioner Tikki Brown echoed that position during a Monday press conference, stating that earlier inspections of the facilities did not uncover fraud and that regulators are now increasing unannounced visits.

“We are aware of a video that’s being circulated that has gained local and national attention about childcare centers in Minnesota,” Brown said. “While we have questions about some of the methods that were used in the video, we do take the concerns that the video raises about fraud very seriously.”

{Matzav.com}

An independent journalist whose reporting ignited national attention over alleged misuse of childcare funds in Minnesota returned Tuesday to a Minneapolis facility at the heart of the controversy, this time alongside his researcher and dressed to make a statement.

Nick Shirley and his researcher, identified as David, showed up outside the Quality Learning Center wearing matching sweatshirts emblazoned with the phrase “1-800 FRAUD.” The visit followed the release of Shirley’s widely shared video that raised questions about possible fraud involving state-funded daycare centers.

Photos and video from the visit were later posted on X, showing the pair standing outside the building in sweatshirts that also read “Quality ‘Learing’ Center,” deliberately mirroring a misspelling associated with signage tied to the facility.

Shirley accompanied the post with the caption, “WE OUT HERE LEARIN AND STOPPING FRAUD.”

The return visit came after the daycare’s manager publicly accused Shirley of misrepresenting the business in his original video, saying it was filmed outside normal operating hours and wrongly implied the center was not functioning.

State officials and a daycare manager rejected the fraud allegations earlier in the week, insisting the facility was not closed and was not improperly receiving public funds.

Shirley’s original reporting showed visits to several daycare locations across the state, including the Quality Learning Center, which appeared inactive at the time despite receiving state childcare assistance.

The video quickly gained traction online, drawing praise from figures such as Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, Donald Trump Jr., and Elon Musk, while also prompting pushback from Minnesota officials, including Gov. Tim Walz.

The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of broader criticism facing Walz, as Minnesota authorities have acknowledged that alleged fraud tied largely to social services in Minneapolis — much of it connected to the Somali community — has cost taxpayers at least $1 billion.

During Tuesday’s visit, David told reporters that he had taken legal action against the governor.

“I filed a formal criminal complaint against Tim Walz for violating Minnesota Statute 3.971, Subdivision 9,” David said before confirming he had filed the complaint three to four weeks ago. “So there’s an investigation ongoing, and I think Tim’s going to have a bad day, and he deserves it, because he allowed this fraud.”

He went on to allege political motivations behind the inaction.

“Because he wanted the voting block that the Somalis represent, because they all vote in a block, and it’s 100,000 150,000,” he added. “Who knows how many, but it’s so bad now that when we go to a facility, they’re already screaming, Nick Shirley, Nick Shirley, Nick Shirley!”

{Matzav.com}

Drivers who rely on their personal vehicles for work will see a higher tax break in the coming year, as the federal government updates how much mileage can be deducted on tax returns.

Beginning January 1, the Internal Revenue Service said the standard mileage rate for business travel will rise to 72.5 cents per mile. At the same time, the deduction for medical-related driving will drop slightly to 20.5 cents per mile, while the charitable mileage rate will remain unchanged at 14 cents.

According to the IRS, the latest adjustments are based on “updated cost data and annual inflation adjustments.”

The standard mileage rate is a per-mile figure set by the IRS that taxpayers may use to determine deductible vehicle expenses when using a personal car for work. This method is commonly used by self-employed individuals, freelancers, gig workers, and small business owners. Separate mileage rates also apply to driving for medical purposes, qualifying moves by certain active-duty members of the Armed Forces and members of the intelligence community, and charitable activities.

Under the new schedule, the rate for business use will be 72.5 cents per mile, while medical and qualifying military moving mileage will be set at 20.5 cents per mile. The IRS confirmed that the charitable rate will stay fixed at 14 cents per mile.

These mileage figures apply across vehicle types, including electric vehicles, hybrids, and cars powered by gasoline or diesel. For those driving leased vehicles, the IRS said the standard mileage method must be used for the entire lease term, including any renewals.

The agency explained that the medical and moving mileage rates are calculated based only on expenses that rise with increased driving, such as fuel, oil, and routine maintenance.

Taxpayers are not required to use the standard mileage rate. The IRS noted that filers may instead choose to deduct the actual costs associated with operating their vehicle, if that approach is more advantageous.

{Matzav.com}

Health officials are warning travelers after a confirmed measles case involving air travel during the busy holiday season, as millions of Americans take to the skies.

The New Jersey Department of Health reported that a passenger who passed through Newark Liberty International Airport was diagnosed with measles after being present in terminals B and C on December 12.

Because measles spreads through the air, officials cautioned that transmission can occur when an infected individual coughs or sneezes, even without direct contact.

Measles virus particles can linger in the air for as long as two hours after an infected person has left an enclosed space, according to public health guidance.

State health authorities urged anyone who believes they may have been exposed, or who is experiencing symptoms, to contact a healthcare provider before going to a doctor’s office, urgent care facility, or emergency room.

“NJDOH is working in collaboration with local health officials on ongoing contact tracing and on efforts to notify people who might have been exposed and to identify additional exposures that may have occurred,” says the release.

Those considered most vulnerable include individuals who are not fully vaccinated against measles or who have never previously contracted the disease, the Department of Health said.

{Matzav.com}

WATCH:

LISTEN:

​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

LISTEN:

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu held a “warm conversation” with U.S. Vice President JD Vance last night, the premier’s office announced on Tuesday.

The meeting, which focused on “regional issues,” followed Netanyahu’s “successful meeting” with President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., the Prime Minister’s Office stated.

Trump credited Netanyahu on Monday for guiding the Jewish state to victory over a “force the likes of which very few countries could have handled.”

“He’s a wartime prime minister,” Trump said of Netanyahu, responding to a question from JNS during a press conference outside Mar-a-Lago. “He’s taken Israel through a very dangerous period of drama.”

“That’s a pretty big statement, but it’s true,” the president told JNS. “If you had the wrong prime minister, Israel right now would not exist.”

Netanyahu said earlier on Monday that he held a “great meeting” with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as the national security adviser, as part of his visit to Florida.

Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesman at the U.S. State Department, stated that the two met to “discuss regional security, economic cooperation and the fight against antisemitism.”

Vance claimed in a Dec. 21 interview that concerns about antisemitism are sometimes raised as a way to avoid discussing “a real backlash to a consensus view in American foreign policy” regarding the Jewish state.

Vance condemned antisemitism in the interview with the conservative Unherd outlet, saying that “antisemitism, and all forms of ethnic hatred, have no place in the conservative movement. Whether you’re attacking somebody because they’re white or because they’re black or because they’re Jewish, I think it’s disgusting and we should call that stuff out.” JNS

{Matzav.com}

A strong majority of American Jews believe that Israel’s standing around the world has taken a serious hit over the past year, according to a new nationwide survey, even as many say their own emotional connection to Israel has deepened.

The poll, released Monday by the Jewish People Policy Institute, found that 85% of respondents felt Israel’s global image was damaged in 2025. At the same time, 49% said they now feel closer to Israel than they did at the start of the year, while 20% reported feeling more distant.

Concerns about antisemitism within the United States also featured prominently in the findings. An overwhelming 88% of those surveyed said they agree with Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s assertion that “there has been a significant rise in antisemitism on the right over the past six months.”

Cruz has previously described the recent spike as “the largest he has seen in his lifetime,” a view that drew near-universal backing across ideological lines. Only 4% of respondents said they disagreed, with liberal, moderate, and conservative Jews all expressing broad agreement with his assessment.

By contrast, nearly three-quarters of participants — 73% — rejected Vice President JD Vance’s statement that “the Republican Party is not significantly more antisemitic than it was a decade ago.”

On foreign policy, the survey highlighted growing unease over the role of Middle Eastern states in shaping global affairs. American Jews ranked Iran as the most serious danger facing Israel, with 83% describing it as an existential threat even after the 12-day war in June.

Notably, the small but wealthy Gulf state of Qatar emerged as the second-most significant perceived threat to Israel, surpassing other regional actors. Respondents were less inclined to see Turkey as a top danger, though majorities said Iran, Qatar, Yemen, and Turkey all pose risks not only to Israel but to the United States as well.

When asked to rank those dangers, participants consistently placed Iran first, followed by Qatar, then Yemen and Turkey, underscoring a shared sense that the regional landscape has become increasingly hostile.

{Matzav.com}

Spain’s Ministry of Finance announced a ban on the import of products from hundreds of Israeli locales in Judea, Samaria, eastern Yerushalayim and the Golan, becoming the first major E.U. member state economy to implement such a measure.

The ban was set to become effective today, the ministry said, adding this was the result of a September decree “adopting urgent measures against genocide in Gaza and in support of the Palestinian population.”

The decree “prohibits in its Article 3 the importation into Spain of products originating from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” according to the statement.

To be applied, the ministry is to “approve the list of localities and postal codes corresponding to the Israeli settlements,” the text reads. With the announcement, the measure “is approved” and “will take effect the day after its publication” in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (“Official State Gazette”), the text read.

Slovenia, one of the E.U.’s smallest economies with about 2 million citizens, announced a similar ban in August, becoming the first E.U. member to boycott Israeli products. Legislation to effect a ban is being worked on in Ireland’s parliament.

Enfoque Judio, a reputable Spanish-Jewish news site, confirmed the authenticity of the document published. It noted in its reporting that the inclusion of the Golan Heights in the ban lies outside of the approved September decree.

Enrique Martínez Olmos, editor-in-chief of the ESDiario news site, condemned the ban in a sharp-worded editorial, whose title describes the measure as “a measure that Hitler would endorse.” The ban “prohibits and singles out Jewish products, much like in 1930s Germany,” he wrote.

Israel exports roughly $850 million in goods to Spain annually, according to the Israel Export Institute, roughly half the volume that Israel imports from Spain. Products from Judea, Samaria and the Golan are believed to account for a small fraction of the Israeli exports to Spain.

A spokesperson for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not reply to JNS’s request for comment in time for publication.

Angel Mas, president of ACOM, a prominent pro-Israel group in Spain, told JNS that his organization has challenged the ban in an appeal before the Spanish Constitutional Court. ACOM considers the ban immoral, he said.

In addition to ACOM’s legal fight against it, “We intend to bring these discriminatory and openly hostile measures to the attention of the United States Department of State,” Mas said. “The current Spanish government has lost any sense of proportion or restraint and is crossing red lines that no democratic government should cross.”

In the court appeal, ACOM said the ban was illegal on several counts, including in how it “directly conflicts with E.U. law, particularly in areas where the European Union holds exclusive competence, such as trade policy and the functioning of the internal market.”

The decree’s passing was also flawed procedurally since it “must still be debated and approved by Congress, a process likely to take place in the coming months.” And still, “the Spanish government has already begun applying the measures in practice across commercial activity involving Israel,” he said.

“From the outset, the decree is built on a fundamentally flawed and discredited premise,” Mas added. “Its introductory [notes] assert, as established facts, allegations of ‘genocide’ and ’famine’ allegedly committed by Israel in Gaza, claiming that these accusations are supported by ‘all international experts.’ These claims are demonstrably false, legally unsubstantiated, and deeply contested,” Mas said.

‘Remove or block identified ads’

Separately, on Tuesday, another Spanish government ministry threatened seven real estate rental platforms with unspecified “actions” if they continue to advertise Israeli-owned properties in those areas.

The seven entities are “multinational companies,” a spokesperson for the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030 wrote in a statement published on Dec. 30. It did not name the platforms.

The ministry “has detected that seven platforms had published 138 advertisements for tourist accommodations located in Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory,” the statement said. “This advertising is considered illegal under Article 4 of the Royal Decree-Law adopting urgent measures against the genocide in Gaza and in support of the Palestinian population, approved in September,” it also said.

“A first formal request has been sent to the platforms, urging them to immediately remove or block the identified ads in Spain. Failure to do so could result in further action by the ministry,” it read.

Spain is one of three European Union member countries that have intervened in South Africa’s 2023 lawsuit for alleged genocide against Israel, widely understood as an endorsement of the suit. The country’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, in May called Israel a “genocidal state.”

Airbnb, one of the world’s largest short-term rental platforms, in 2019 reversed a policy it had announced the previous year, which would have banned assets like the ones that Spain wanted blocked. The reversal followed two federal lawsuits in the United States. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Federal preservation advocates are mounting a challenge to a Department of Homeland Security plan to swiftly tear down a cluster of historic structures in Washington, D.C., arguing that the agency is bypassing required safeguards in the name of security.

The dispute centers on 13 buildings at the St. Elizabeths federal campus, a site created by Congress in 1855 and once known as the “Government Hospital for the Insane.” According to reporting by The Washington Post, DHS has asked for emergency clearance to demolish the structures, sharply limiting the time preservation groups have to respond.

In an internal memo cited by the Post, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the vacant buildings as posing “a present risk to life and property,” warning that their location within the DHS West Campus could make them attractive to “individuals seeking to cause harm to personnel,” including those planning “active shooter scenarios.”

To accelerate the process, DHS filed an emergency notice with the General Services Administration, the federal body that oversees government real estate. That move compressed the review window to just three days, prompting swift objections from preservation organizations.

In a joint letter to the GSA, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the D.C. Preservation League rejected the security rationale. “If the space within these vacant buildings is accessible, [it’s the GSA and Homeland Security that have] “failed to effectively secure them,” the groups wrote, according to the Post.

The letter went on to criticize the emergency designation itself, stating: “A unilateral declaration like this is problematic because it bypasses the procedural safeguards designed to ensure stability, legitimacy and fairness. [Noem’s concerns over safety] imply a fundamental flaw in the facility’s security as a whole.”

The clash comes in the wake of other controversial changes to historic federal properties. Critics note that the push to raze buildings at St. Elizabeths follows President Donald Trump’s efforts to build a new ballroom at the White House, a project that involved demolishing the historic East Wing and drew sharp condemnation from historians and preservationists.

The Post reported that preservation groups are urging the GSA to reject the emergency request and require DHS to follow the standard review process before any demolition proceeds.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] In a wide-ranging interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu laid out Israel’s security priorities, regional ambitions, and diplomatic outlook following extended discussions with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago.

Netanyahu said Israel is watching closely as Iran works to rebuild its military capabilities, including nuclear enrichment and missile production. He warned that Tehran has not abandoned its ambitions and must be stopped from regaining them. “The President was correct when he said that Fordow was obliterated, so they’re trying other sites. They’ll try that. They also are trying to recover their ballistic missile production facility,” Netanyahu said, adding, “We set them back considerably on both areas, but, yeah, they’ll try. And I think the President was right to tell them, ‘hey, don’t, don’t’. That’s basically what his message was.”

He stressed that the core issue with Iran remains its nuclear infrastructure. “And I think with Iran, the real issue is they should accept the fact that they shouldn’t have enrichment, nuclear enrichment capability. They should take out all the material that they’ve already enriched, take it out of Iran and have inspections,” he said.

Netanyahu also disclosed that Iran recently staged military drills simulating missile strikes on Israel. “I said if you dare do that, you know, the results would be devastating. So I hope Iran doesn’t make that mistake,” he warned.

Turning to Gaza, Netanyahu argued that any progress toward stability hinges on one essential demand. “One word, disarmament,” he said, explaining that Hamas remains heavily armed, with tens of thousands of rifles and an extensive tunnel network. “You’ve got to take all these rifles, take them away from them,” he said, adding that Hamas’ refusal to disarm is the central barrier to moving forward.

Asked whether stripping Hamas of its weapons is realistic, Netanyahu said the effort deserves a chance, possibly through international involvement. “I think we have to give it a chance,” he said, noting that an international stabilization force could play a role. “If it can be done the easy way, fine.”

On Gaza’s future leadership, Netanyahu said no meaningful change can occur while Hamas remains intact. A new governing framework is possible only “if you disarm Hamas,” he said, emphasizing, “The point here is not to negotiate with Hamas… Their job is to vanish, stop, no more. And you know who wants it more than anyone else? The people of Gaza.”

Addressing criticism of Israeli military actions during the ceasefire, Netanyahu defended Israel’s responses to threats. “These terrorists try to kill us… What would you do? Well, you just did. There was this jihadist in Syria who killed two Americans. Bam. You hit them back,” he said.

On tensions in Judea and Samaria, Netanyahu rejected claims of widespread violence by Jewish residents, describing the incidents as limited and unacceptable. “It’s about 70 kids. They’re not from the West Bank… they do things like chopping the olive trees… I can’t accept that. That’s vigilantism. I’m taking that out,” he said, contrasting those acts with the scale of terror attacks against Israelis. He added, “I want peaceful coexistence between the Israelis and the Palestinians who live in Judea and Samaria, which is part of our ancestral homeland.”

Netanyahu dismissed suggestions that he needed to persuade President Trump on Israel’s approach. “We saw eye to eye. He cut right to the chase,” he said. “He said, look, skip all this press stuff… you’ve got to get Hamas to disarm.”

Looking beyond immediate conflicts, Netanyahu expressed confidence that Israel’s regional standing has improved, opening doors to new diplomatic opportunities. “I think it’s possible precisely because of the great achievements that we had fighting Iran and its axis… people are open to a peace agreement,” he said, citing Israel’s military strength and economic growth. “We’re just a high-tech juggernaut.”

On his ongoing legal case in Israel, Netanyahu reiterated that he views the charges as politically driven. “The president was right to call for a pardon,” he said. “They said that I received a bribe… favorable coverage in a third-rate Internet site. That’s the bribe.”

He described what he sees as the trivial nature of the allegations. “On the first day of my cross-examination… 29 years ago, your son received a Bugs Bunny doll. That’s what they’re cross-examining. And about cigars I received from a friend. That’s the trial. So it’s ridiculous. It’s been dissolving.And the president is right to ask for a pardon.”

Responding to accusations that he is extending the war for political reasons, Netanyahu pushed back forcefully. “This is so vicious and so false… I’ve been to war… One of my best friends died in my arms… That’s the last thing I want,” he said, adding that his goal is to convert military success into long-term stability. “What I want to do is to secure the future of Israel and to give it a future of peace, prosperity, and security.”

On the global surge in antisemitism, Netanyahu urged vigilance and resolve. “If somebody says they want to kill you… believe them, and be prepared,” he said, calling for firmer international action. “President Trump does. Many governments don’t. And they should.”

Asked about Syria’s interim leadership, Netanyahu signaled cautious openness. “We’d like to see if we can have a different relationship with them. We have talks, which we never had with the Assad regime,” he said.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu addressed the international criticism surrounding Israel’s decision to recognize the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, defending the move during an interview with Newsmax while visiting the United States.

Responding to questions about the backlash from European governments and Muslim-majority countries, Netanyahu framed the recognition as a values-based decision. “Why not support a democratic moderate country that wants to join the Abraham Accords? I think everybody should do that,” he said.

He described Somaliland as a stable and moderate society, emphasizing its population and political character. “Somaliland has six million citizens – moderate Muslims, they want to join the Abraham Accords, and I think that’s very good,” Netanyahu stated.

The prime minister went on to contrast Somaliland with the broader situation in Somalia. “They are democrats, they’ve had elections,” he said, adding that this stands in stark contrast to “the rest of Somalia, which is hodgepodge, has had Al-Shabaab terrorists there, never had elections for, I don’t know, for decades, has had a lot of terrorists coming there.”

Following Netanyahu’s announcement last week, Channel 12 reported that discussions about establishing ties with Somaliland intensified as Israel explored options for countries willing to accept Palestinians from Gaza during the ongoing war with Hamas.

The report also noted additional strategic considerations behind the move, including Somaliland’s geographic proximity to Yemen, which could provide Israel with improved access for surveillance and potential strikes against Iran-backed Houthi forces operating there.

{Matzav.com}

While thousands of New York City homeowners rushed to clear snow after last weekend’s storm to avoid penalties, icy walkways next to government-owned properties told a different story.

City officials issued more than 3,000 summonses to private property owners, with fines beginning at $100, under rules that require sidewalks to be shoveled within a set number of hours after snowfall ends. Those enforcement standards, however, do not apply the same way to sidewalks controlled by the city or the state.

Along Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, commuters encountered a long, slippery stretch of sidewalk bordering a Long Island Rail Road train yard that remained buried under snow and ice Monday morning. During peak travel hours, pedestrians were left navigating the hazardous conditions with care.

Comparable situations appeared elsewhere, including outside city-owned parks. Near Dean Playground in Prospect Heights, neighbors voiced concerns about safety after sidewalks remained unshoveled. Only after complaints were made did Parks Department crews arrive to clear the area.

The city acknowledges that while it strictly enforces snow-removal rules on residents and businesses, it does not issue fines to itself or to other government agencies. The Department of Sanitation says it lacks authority to penalize fellow agencies and generally responds to large sidewalk areas only after receiving complaints.

As one resident put it, “It’s funny how the rules are enforced block by block — unless the sidewalk belongs to the city.” For now, officials say the primary way to prompt action on unshoveled government sidewalks is for residents to report the issue by calling 311 or using the city’s 311 app.

{Matzav.com}

Emergency officials in rural Kentucky ordered residents to remain indoors Tuesday morning after a freight train derailment led to the release of hazardous materials along a rail line.

The incident involved a 31-car CSX train that derailed in Todd County shortly after 6 a.m. Authorities said at least one railcar was leaking molten sulfur, a substance that can cause serious burns and release toxic gases such as sulfur dioxide or hydrogen sulfide.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear alerted the public to the situation in a social media post, writing, “Kentucky, there has been a train derailment in Todd County, and local emergency management has issued a shelter-in-place for the City of Trenton. Please follow local guidance and stay safe.”

Photos taken at the site showed damaged freight cars strewn across the tracks, with a white chemical substance visibly escaping from one of the cars.

Officials later said the situation was stabilized, and the shelter-in-place order was lifted at about 11 a.m. Authorities reported no injuries and said nearby homes were not damaged.

Reflecting on the severity of the incident, Todd County Executive Todd Mansfield told WZTV News, “It could have been catastrophic.”

CSX Transportation confirmed that it is reviewing what led to the derailment. Company spokesman Austin Staton said Tuesday that cleanup efforts were underway. “CSX crews remain on scene and are working as safely and as quickly as possible to clean up the impacted site,” Staton said. “We appreciate the swift response and coordination of local first responders and emergency management officials.”

CSX has previously faced criticism from environmental advocates, who have raised concerns about the risks associated with transporting hazardous materials by rail and the potential consequences of chemical spills.

{Matzav.com}

Federal authorities say they have confirmed at least $1 billion in fraudulent childcare payments in Minnesota so far, with 92 individuals already charged. According to the US Attorney’s office, 82 of those charged are Somali immigrants, and prosecutors have cautioned that the total scope of the scheme could ultimately reach $9 billion.

Against that backdrop, the Trump administration has moved to cut off all childcare-related payments to the state and is pressing for an extensive review of Minnesota’s day care system, as scrutiny intensifies around the state’s human services department.

Deputy Health and Human Services Secretary Jim O’Neill announced the decision on Tuesday, writing on X, “We have frozen all child care payments to the state of Minnesota,” just days after a widely shared investigative video focused national attention on alleged fraud involving local day care providers.

O’Neill accused state officials of allowing massive abuse of public funds, saying Minnesota has “funneled millions of taxpayer dollars to fraudulent daycares across Minnesota over the past decade.” He detailed three steps the department is taking to prevent further misuse of federal money.

As part of the first measure, O’Neill said the federal government will now require “a receipt or photo evidence” before releasing any payments to states through the US Administration for Children & Families.

He also said he has “demanded” that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz carry out a “comprehensive audit” of the day care centers identified in the investigation. “This includes attendance records, licenses, complaints, investigations, and inspections,” he wrote.

O’Neill pointed specifically to a YouTube video published Friday by Nick Shirley, who visited multiple Minneapolis-area day care sites that had received millions in public funding but appeared to be shuttered or not operating.

In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services has set up a dedicated hotline and email address at childcare.gov for reporting suspected fraud. “Whether you are a parent, provider, or member of the general public, we want to hear from you,” O’Neill said.

Summing up the administration’s posture, he added, “We have turned off the money spigot and we are finding the fraud.”

{Matzav.com}

The inauguration of Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s next mayor will depart sharply from past practice, with organizers planning a large public celebration rather than a ticketed ceremony at City Hall Plaza. According to the mayoral transition team, the January 1 event will feature a block party along Broadway in the Canyon of Heroes, complete with “dedicated viewing areas for tens of thousands to gather and participate in the ceremony, ensuring the day belongs to all New Yorkers.”

The transition team also announced that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York will deliver the opening remarks at the ceremony. In a statement cited by Fox News, the team said, “Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez’s presence underscores the leaders central to the movement to usher in a new era for New York City – one focused on delivering an affordability agenda and reimagining what government can do for working people.”

Ocasio-Cortez campaigned alongside Mamdani during the race. Mamdani, who is set to become the city’s first Muslim mayor, praised her role in his political rise, saying, “For the many New Yorkers who have long felt betrayed by a broken status quo, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez embodies a new kind of politics that puts working people at the heart of it.” He added, “I’ve been so proud to count her as a partner across the many stages of our people-powered movement – from the primary campaign to our Forest Hills rally in October to the very first day of the transition – and I’m honored that she’ll be a part of our historic City Hall inauguration.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, another ally who appeared with Mamdani on the campaign trail, is scheduled to administer the oath of office. Sanders said the swearing-in will take place at the Old City Hall subway station, describing the symbolism of the location. “I’m honored to swear in our Mayor-Elect at the Old City Hall subway station. His inauguration will represent the blending of our city on a subway filled with cacophony, diversity, challenge and opportunity,” Sanders said. “The subway is a lifeblood of our city, and a great equalizer for New Yorkers. All of us are treated the same on the subway; it connects and binds New Yorkers in our daily lives. For all of our strengths and weaknesses as individuals, we ride together on the train, to places far and wide.”

Sanders continued by tying that imagery to Mamdani’s message, saying, “Zohran is our next mayor because he understands how important it is that New Yorkers living side-by-side all deserve a city that we can thrive in, no matter what subway line you use.”

Mamdani’s rise has also drawn controversy. He has faced sustained criticism over his policy positions, particularly his anti-Israel stance. He has declined to disavow the phrase “globalize the intifada” and publicly criticized Israel on October 8, 2023, one day after the Hamas massacre in southern Israel.

In repeated statements, Mamdani has accused Israel of committing war crimes in its campaign against Hamas in Gaza and has said he would seek to arrest Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu if he were to visit New York City.

Ocasio-Cortez, often referred to by her initials AOC, is a member of the progressive Democratic bloc known as “The Squad” and has a long record of opposing Israeli policies. Her past actions include accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinian Arabs and calling for reductions in US military assistance to Israel until humanitarian aid flows freely into Gaza.

Sanders has likewise been outspoken in his criticism of Israel’s government. In September, he asserted that Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza, the first time he used that term in reference to the conflict.

Those views have translated into legislative efforts. In late July, the Senate voted down a resolution introduced by Sanders that sought to block American arms transfers to Israel. The measure failed 27-70, marking his third unsuccessful attempt since late 2024 to halt US weapons deliveries to Israel.

{Matzav.com}