Matzav

All meetings in the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee regarding the proposed Draft Law were abruptly called off Monday evening, as disputes and delays over the bill’s formulation intensified friction between the government and chareidi lawmakers.

In the wake of the cancellations, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called an urgent meeting with the committee’s chairman, MK Boaz Bismuth, summoning him to his office for immediate discussions.

The postponement stems from the legal department’s inability to complete the bill’s language on schedule, pushing the timeline for its presentation even further. Bismuth had anticipated that the draft would be ready by Tuesday, but legal advisors informed him that additional time was necessary to finalize the text.

Tension between Netanyahu and the chareidi parties has risen sharply since his remarks at the opening of the Knesset’s winter session, when he declared, “We will recruit 10,000 yeshiva students over two years.” The comment drew a fierce reaction from Torah representatives who viewed it as deeply insensitive and tone-deaf.

MK Moshe Gafni, head of the Degel HaTorah faction, blasted the Prime Minister’s wording, exclaiming, “How can he say ‘we’ll recruit yeshiva students’? We don’t recruit yeshiva students – we recruit chareidim.” Following the uproar, Netanyahu returned to the podium to clarify that his intention had been to refer broadly to the enlistment of “chareidim,” not yeshiva bochurim specifically.

A statement issued later by Bismuth’s office emphasized that his meeting with Netanyahu had been arranged in advance and covered several matters on the committee’s agenda — among them, the Draft Law.

Bismuth reportedly plans to bring the legislation before the committee at its next meeting, in keeping with requests from chareidi MKs, in the hope of moving the process forward more efficiently and with greater sensitivity to the Torah community’s concerns.

A wave of major financial contributions from New York’s business elite has surged into newly created super PACs determined to derail Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for mayor. In the past several days alone, over $3 million has been funneled into these committees, according to the latest financial disclosures, as anxiety grows among the city’s power brokers over the possibility of a democratic socialist taking control of City Hall.

The massive last-minute infusion comes just as the Democratic frontrunner continues to lead decisively, with polling showing Mamdani maintaining a comfortable double-digit advantage over independent contender Andrew Cuomo. The timing of the cash dump, only days before early voting begins on November 4, highlights the growing desperation among business interests to stop Mamdani’s rise before it’s too late.

For many corporate leaders, Mamdani’s platform represents a direct threat to their financial interests. He has repeatedly pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy and on large corporations to pay for sweeping social programs — including universal free child care and expanded housing affordability measures. Those proposals have left Wall Street and real estate circles deeply uneasy.

Financial records reveal that the men behind the sudden burst of spending — Eminence Capital founder Ricky Sandler, real estate investor Richard Mack, and developer Marty Berger — transferred a total of $3.26 million into three new PACs through a shared corporate vehicle known as Put NYC First Inc.

The bulk of the money, roughly $2 million, was wired Friday to a super PAC called For Our City. Over the weekend, that PAC reportedly spent $1.5 million on a new “media buy,” which sources suggest will fund a wave of negative ads against Mamdani. Details about the ads have not yet been disclosed.

Neither the treasurer of For Our City nor any of the three donors immediately responded to requests for comment. The same trio’s entity, Put NYC First, also directed just over $1 million toward another new group called Stop the Socialists, though no spending by that PAC had been reported as of Monday morning.

Earlier this month, the businessmen’s consortium made a smaller contribution — nearly $255,000 — to a third PAC named Good Growth NYC. That group has already used $200,000 for on-the-ground canvassing in support of Cuomo and another $13,000 on campaign literature boosting his candidacy, according to recent filings.

Cuomo’s campaign, which by law is barred from coordinating with any of the independent PACs supporting him, declined to comment on the outside spending activity.

Mamdani’s campaign, meanwhile, dismissed the onslaught of billionaire-funded opposition as meaningless. “Another day, another ineffective billionaire-backed PAC that won’t make a dent in the movement Zohran Mamdani is building to make New York City more affordable,” said campaign spokeswoman Dora Pekec.

Unlike traditional campaign committees, super PACs face no limits on how much money they can raise or spend, giving them immense power to flood the airwaves and influence voters. This year’s mayoral race has shattered records for outside spending, with wealthy donors pouring tens of millions of dollars into efforts — most aimed squarely at derailing Mamdani’s bid.

Before this latest round of contributions, the Sandler-Mack-Berger network had already given $750,000 to other political committees, including $250,000 to New Yorkers for a Better Future Mayor 25, a group aligned with Cuomo’s campaign. That PAC, in turn, is coordinating with Fix the City — the largest pro-Cuomo, anti-Mamdani operation in the race.

Fix the City, which also supported Cuomo’s losing effort against Mamdani in the Democratic primary, has already pulled in more than $30 million in total funding. Its recent backers include Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, who added a $1 million donation just last week.

Despite the massive sums being spent, polls suggest the deluge of outside money has done little to sway voters. Surveys continue to show Mamdani maintaining a commanding lead over Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, who trails far behind. A new poll released Monday did indicate, however, that Cuomo could pose a greater challenge to Mamdani if Sliwa were to bow out of the race.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney declared that he would enforce the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, stating that Netanyahu would be detained if he entered Canadian territory.

When pressed in an interview on Bloomberg Podcasts about whether his government would actually apprehend Netanyahu, Carney gave a clear and unhesitating answer: “yes.” He declined to provide further explanation or details about how such an arrest would be carried out.

Carney also emphasized that one of his central foreign policy goals had been to recognize a Palestinian state, but he insisted that this recognition was merely a step toward a broader objective.

“The end is a free and viable Palestinian state living side by side, peace and security, the State of Israel,” he said.

Carney noted that Canada has officially supported the two-state framework since 1947 but claimed his government chose this moment to move forward with recognition because “the actions of Netanyahu’s government were explicitly designed to end any possibility of a Palestinian state in violation of the UN Charter and going against Canadian government policy of any political stripe since 1947.”

He further explained that the decision was not symbolic or intended to create immediate results but rather a necessary response to prevent the total collapse of prospects for peace. “We did this because the prospect was receding as opposed to viewing it as any sort of panacea, game changer, fundamentally immediately leading to the outcome that we and others want,” he said.

Addressing criticism from Washington, Carney acknowledged American disapproval of similar moves by other nations but argued that all sides ultimately sought the same outcome. “Common objective is the same,” he maintained.

Responding to Carney’s remarks, Netanyahu’s political advisor Ophir Falk strongly rebuked the Canadian leader in comments to The Globe and Mail on Saturday. Falk said he “had hoped that after Canada endorsed [US] President Trump’s Middle East 20-Point Peace Plan [for Gaza], Prime Minister Carney would retract his policy of appeasing terrorism and betraying Canada’s traditional ally.”

Falk urged Carney to instead “welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu, the leader of the lone Jewish state and only democracy in the Middle East, to Canada.”

Both Netanyahu and Israel’s former defense minister Yoav Gallant are facing ICC charges accusing them of “criminal responsibility” for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the war against Hamas in Gaza.

{Matzav.com}

On Monday night, Hamas transferred to Israel the body of hostage Tal Haimi, bringing a painful chapter closer to closure. Haimi, 41, was killed while courageously defending Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak on October 7, 2023, when terrorists invaded the community. His body was taken into Gaza that day.

Haimi served on the kibbutz’s emergency response team and joined his comrades in fierce combat at the entrance of Nir Yitzchak, holding back the terrorists until he was fatally shot. Initially listed as missing, investigators later determined that he had likely been taken into Gaza. In December 2023, intelligence confirmed his death, and though his family held a funeral, they continued to wait for his remains.

Late Monday, Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that the body had been returned. The casket was taken to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv for identification.

“The Government of Israel shares in the profound grief of the Haimi family and of all the families of the fallen hostages,” the PMO said.

Haimi leaves behind his wife, Ela, and four children — Nir, Einav, Udi, and Lotan, the youngest of whom was born in May 2024, seven months after his father’s death.

“Tal was brought home after 745 days,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement. “Tal loved taking his family on nature trips and camping in the outdoors, was an enthusiastic tools hobbyist, and always knew how to find a solution to any problem that arose.

“On the morning of October 7, he went out to fight against dozens of terrorists in a battle at the gate of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak. Tal and the rest of the quick-response team fought with extraordinary bravery for several hours, and during the battle, Tal fell and was abducted into Gaza.”

Hamas delivered the casket on Monday evening, claiming it had located the body a day earlier. The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the armed faction of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, later said that it had been holding the remains.

The Red Cross received the casket from Hamas and passed it on to the Israel Defense Forces. Inside Gaza, IDF personnel verified the contents, covered the coffin with an Israeli flag, and held a brief ceremony led by a military rabbi. From there, the casket was taken out of Gaza under police escort to Abu Kabir.

A day before the handover, Hamas had announced it had discovered the remains of a hostage and would return them “if the field conditions are suitable.” That declaration came amid renewed tensions, after a deadly attack in southern Gaza prompted Israeli airstrikes. No transfer occurred that day.

With Haimi’s return, 15 bodies of Israeli hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, while 13 have been recovered and brought back. Israel accuses Hamas of deliberately withholding some of the bodies, whereas the terror group claims that destruction from the war has made locating them impossible.

Under the current ceasefire arrangement, Hamas freed the final 20 living hostages on October 13, within three days of Israel’s withdrawal to the so-called Yellow Line, as stipulated in the agreement.

The Donald Trump administration received a significant victory Monday when a federal appeals court ruled the president may proceed with his plan to send National Guard troops to Portland.

A panel of three judges from the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 2-1 decision overturning one of two temporary restraining orders that had blocked the deployment into the city.

Judges Ryan Nelson and Bridget Bade—both appointed by President Trump—backed the president’s efforts to move federal troops into Democrat-led municipalities.

“After considering the record at this preliminary stage, we conclude that it is likely that the President lawfully exercised his statutory authority under 10 U.S.C. § 12406(3), which authorizes the federalization of the National Guard when ‘the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States,’” the majority opinion stated.

During oral arguments, Judge Nelson observed that it “may well be that the forces are used in an improper way” but maintained that the court didn’t “have evidence of that.”

The sole dissent on the panel came from a judge appointed by Bill Clinton.

Earlier in October, a federal judge in Oregon had blocked the National Guard deployment to Portland. The court cited the president’s decision as being “untethered to reality” in her emergency order and warned that he was risking “blurring the line between civil and military federal power – to the detriment of this nation.”

In response, the White House accused the judge of being “untethered in reality” in a sharp statement before turning to the appeals court for relief.

Stacy Chaffin, an assistant attorney general in Oregon, argued that Trump’s portrayal of violence in Portland did not remotely justify federalizing the National Guard. She contended that the city’s demonstrations did not meet the condition of a “rebellion,” one of the triggers the president cited for deploying troops.

President Trump has advocated National Guard deployments in other cities led by Democrats, including Chicago, despite resistance from state officials.

Democrats have accused the president of exaggerating the threat to validate his effort to “federalize” cities, while Trump and his backers point to violent anti-ICE protests as grounds for military intervention.

Separately, on Shabbos, the Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals eased a lower-court order blocking the federal deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago, though that ruling limited the soldiers to a reserve base outside the city rather than inside its borders.

On Monday, the city of Portland was hit with a civil-rights complaint amid continuing street protests, accused of employing “race-first” policies even as it pledged to scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.

{Matzav.com}

A shortage of air traffic controllers has crippled operations across the nation’s airports, triggering widespread flight delays as the federal government shutdown drags into its 20th consecutive day, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed Monday.

According to FlightAware, approximately 7,850 flights within, into, or out of the United States were delayed on Sunday alone. By early Monday, over 1,000 additional flights had already been impacted.

The FAA attributed major slowdowns at airports in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and Newark over the weekend to staffing shortages, Reuters reported. The agency also warned of potential delays in Las Vegas and Phoenix for the same reason.

“As [Transportation] Secretary [Sean] Duffy has said, there have been increased staffing shortages across the system. When that happens, the FAA slows traffic into some airports to ensure safe operations,” an FAA spokesperson told The Hill.

Reuters also noted that poor weather conditions and the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Austin contributed to additional delays on Sunday.

Earlier this month, Duffy told Fox Business that “53 percent of flight delays were caused by staffing issues,” describing it as a sharp increase from the typical rate of around five percent.

Currently, around 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration employees continue to work without pay during the prolonged shutdown.

Aviation analysts have cautioned that delays may worsen as unpaid employees begin to call out sick, echoing what occurred during the 2019 government shutdown.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been broadcasting videos in airports blaming Democrats for refusing to fund the government’s reopening—though many airports have chosen not to air them.

The shutdown has now entered the record books as the third-longest in U.S. history.

{Matzav.com}

Khal Adath Jeshurun of Washington Heights has announced that its longtime mara d’asra, Rav Yisroel Mantel, will be relocating to Gateshead, England, after 19 years of distinguished leadership.

In a letter sent to members and friends of the Kehillah, the Board of Trustees shared that Rav Mantel had approached them after Yom Tov to inform them of his decision to move closer to his children and grandchildren. The Rav explained that both he and the Rebbetzin feel that, as they get older, it has become necessary to be nearer to their family.

Rav Mantel plans to continue serving as rov of Khal Adath Jeshurun for as long as it remains feasible during the transition. The Board expressed its deep appreciation for the zechus the community has had to be led by Rav Mantel, who, together with his Rebbetzin, has earned the admiration of countless Kehillos beyond Washington Heights.

The rov also informed the Board that once he made his availability known, he was advised that he would be offered the position of rov in Gateshead, a role he had been invited to take several years ago but declined at the time, choosing instead to remain with his current Kehillah.

Rav Mantel requested that the membership be notified and that the process of finding a suitable successor begin immediately. A search committee has already been formed, and members are invited to share suggestions with the Board. Rav Mantel has graciously offered to assist in any way possible throughout the transition.

The letter concludes by acknowledging the hashpa’ah Rav Mantel has had on the Kehillah, noting that Hakadosh Baruch Hu has granted the community “exceptional manhigim,” and expressing a heartfelt tefillah that the rov will continue to do so in his new role.

{Matzav.com}

Though the details of the Phase II agreement between Israel, the United States, and Qatar remain undisclosed, one thing is already evident: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has secured his place in Gaza. Newly released photos on Monday revealed Turkish-marked construction vehicles operating inside the Strip — a clear indication that Ankara is wasting no time asserting its influence.

Just last week, Erdogan cautioned that if Israel resumes military operations and breaches the ceasefire, “it will pay a heavy price.” While Iran and its Shi’ite partners appear to have been sidelined, the Muslim Brotherhood’s network, led by Turkey and Qatar, is visibly gaining traction on the ground.

American envoy Steve Witkoff told CBS’s 60 Minutes on Sunday that “estimates for the cost of rebuilding Gaza are around $50 billion,” adding that “we believe the funds will be raised quickly.”

He elaborated that “there are governments in the Middle East that will rush to contribute funding, in addition to the expected European participation.” According to Witkoff, “the first stage of the plan is how to actually launch it, and that’s what I’m working on.” He noted that “securing funding is the easier part and can be achieved relatively quickly, while the real challenge lies in the comprehensive master plan.”

“We are working with a team of experts who have developed master plans over the past two years. We already have ready and comprehensive plans,” Witkoff said, adding that “a council called the Peace Council will be established, and we will be very meticulous in selecting the best talent to work on it.”

He stressed that “we are already talking with contractors from different countries in the Middle East, because we believe regional support is essential, and they know the local market and its dynamics best.”

On Sunday, Minister of Settlement and National Missions Orit Strock blasted the Israeli government’s policy, asking, “How is it that we’re trying to distance Turkey from Syria and bringing them in through the front door – here on our border?” She went on to declare, “I don’t want to see any Turk in Gaza – not on a tractor, not on a jeep, and not on roller skates.”

Yael Sabrigo, niece of kidnapped IDF soldier Lior Rudaeff — whose body remains in Gaza along with the remains of fifteen other soldiers — voiced sharp criticism in an interview with Radio Kol Barama: “The Israeli government chose Qatar and Turkey to be those who enter as an international force into the Gaza Strip. The same entities that have financed terrorism in Gaza for years, finance Hamas and hold up Hamas to this day.”

She added, “The Israeli government chooses to bring fuel into Gaza, the Israeli government chose, at the expense of its citizens, to shape Hamas, to strengthen Hamas, once again. Instead of bringing in bodies that are a bit more neutral, again, the government chose to bring in Turkey and Qatar. The time has come for fixing.”

{Matzav.com}

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has warned that his Otzma Yehudit party will stop taking part in coalition votes unless the long-delayed death penalty bill for terrorists is brought to the Knesset floor within three weeks.

Ben-Gvir issued the ultimatum Monday during a press conference marking the opening of the Knesset’s winter session following its three-month break.

He reminded reporters that the coalition agreement signed with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s Likud party clearly required progress on the bill, saying it was a firm commitment made before the war began.
“The commitment is written in black and white in the coalition agreements,” he emphasized.

The minister recalled that after the war erupted, he was told that advancing the law could jeopardize the lives of hostages held by Hamas. But in his view, that reasoning never held water. Calling it “an excuse” and a “serious mistake,” Ben-Gvir said that passing such a law during the war would have been “an important lever of pressure on Hamas.”

Now, he argued, that justification no longer exists. “In any case, now the list of excuses is exhausted,” he said, referencing the recent release of the last living hostages from Gaza.

“I am therefore officially announcing that we demand the first law proposal to be advanced in the current Knesset session be ‘the death penalty for terrorists’ law,” Ben-Gvir declared.

“If within three weeks, the law is not brought to a vote in the Knesset plenum, Otzma Yehudit will not be obligated to participate in coalition votes,” he warned.

“It is time for the Likud to honor this commitment, which is, above all, a pledge to the public who voted for a right-wing government,” he added.

His comments come at a precarious time for the government, with the coalition and opposition currently deadlocked at 60 seats each. The stalemate followed the withdrawal of the chareidi factions from the coalition in July amid disputes over the yeshiva draft law.

That balance means that if Otzma Yehudit carries out its threat and stops voting with the coalition, Prime Minister Netanyahu will lack the votes needed to pass any legislation or secure approval for new measures.

Back in September, before the temporary ceasefire and hostage release agreement with Hamas, the Knesset’s National Security Committee had already advanced the bill to the plenum for its first reading. At that point, opponents warned that moving ahead with the legislation could undermine hostage negotiations.

Ben-Gvir, however, maintained that the opposite was true—that enacting the law would have strengthened Israel’s leverage and expedited a deal.

Brig.-Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, who serves as the government’s coordinator for hostages and the missing, spoke out strongly against Ben-Gvir’s move, reflecting the position of the Prime Minister’s Office and the hostages’ families.

“I requested not to allow this conversation to take place,” Hirsch said, making clear that he “completely disagreed with the assessment that moving forward with the bill would help bring the remaining hostages back.”

{Matzav.com}

Demolition crews began tearing down parts of the White House East Wing on Monday as construction starts on President Trump’s ambitious plan to add a $250 million ballroom to the historic building.

Photos from the site show the once-familiar covered entrance—used for decades to welcome tour groups and official guests—now completely removed, with debris scattered across the lawn.

Several windows facing the Treasury Department have been shattered or removed, and the former White House calligraphy office now has a large opening where its wall once stood.

Originally built in 1942, the East Wing is among the newer additions to the White House grounds. Over the years, it has served primarily as the base of operations for the first lady’s staff and is known to sit directly above a secured underground shelter.

According to the plans, Trump intends to extend the East Wing further south to accommodate a massive new ballroom designed for large-scale state events and ceremonies.

It remains uncertain whether the current East Wing structure will be completely razed before the expansion begins, as White House officials have yet to comment on the extent of the demolition.

{Matzav.com}

Former Assemblyman Dov Hikind responds to Satmar’s Sukkos event with Zoran Mamdani, Curtis Sliwa and the Central Rabbinical Congress’s anti-Israel rally on Talkline With Zev Brenner.

WATCH:

The following statement was released by Agudas Yisroel of America:

Thank you President Trump for bringing the hostages home!

As we entered Yom Tov a few days ago, Agudah celebrated the good news that the living hostages were released and expressed our appreciation to President Trump and his administration for brokering this historic deal. Organizational statements are important, but this deserves your personal voice as well.

Please join us in expressing our communal appreciation to President Trump and his administration by contacting the White House directly.

We ask that every person in our community call 202-456-1111 Monday through Thursday between the hours of 10-3 to leave a message at the White House comment line or use the online form here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/.

Feel free to personalize the following message template:

Dear President Trump,

As an Orthodox Jewish American I want to thank you and your administration for brokering the deal that brought back all the living hostages.

Please continue to insist that Hamas return every murdered hostage for a proper burial.

We hope and pray that the deal will also mean the end of Hamas, the end of the war, and the beginning of a lasting peace to the region.

We thank you for standing with the Israel in its time of need and for your commitment to remain involved as the chair of the Board of Peace that will oversee the next stages in Gaza.

{Matzav.com}

MK Avi Maoz, leader of the Noam party, voiced deep alarm over what he described as Israel’s faltering approach to Gaza, warning that the government is repeating the same mistakes made after the Oslo Accords.

“I am very concerned that we are sliding back into the ‘victims of peace’ concept post-Oslo,” Maoz told Arutz Sheva, referring to Hamas’ blatant violation of the ceasefire when it attacked Israeli soldiers. “The Prime Minister ordered the closure of the crossings, halting the entry of humanitarian aid trucks, and after a few hours, under American pressure, we reversed this and returned to the ceasefire.”

According to Maoz, such actions send the wrong message and embolden Israel’s enemies. He argued that after clear breaches of the agreement, the only responsible path forward is to resume full-scale military operations. “Here, Hamas is violating the agreement from the very first stage, namely from the stage of returning the slain hostages, and in addition, they are firing on our forces in a combined attack. We need to return to fighting and bring about Hamas’ defeat.”

Maoz dismissed comparisons between Gaza and the situation in southern Lebanon, asserting that the promises made to disarm Hamas must now be enforced. He said the terrorist group has violated the deal from the outset and must face decisive military consequences.

He also discussed his upcoming bill to apply Israeli sovereignty to the areas of Judea and Samaria. “The Ministerial Committee decided to forward the proposal to the coalition leadership. I do not know what the coalition leadership decided, but the Knesset passed a declarative decision calling for the application of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria with a majority of 71, and I expect there will be a majority for my bill as well.”

Addressing Washington’s opposition to the sovereignty initiative, Maoz reminded that Israel is a sovereign nation that does not take orders from other governments. “Therefore, it is not the American president who will tell Israel when to fight and when to stop fighting, when to defeat Hamas and when to apply sovereignty.”

He clarified that he values America’s alliance but insisted that Israel’s national interests must come first. “I greatly respect the American president’s aspirations for peace, and I greatly respect the assistance America provides us. America does this for its own interests, and we must stick to our own interests. Our interests are to make it clear to Hamas and cut off all Palestinian hopes of establishing a state here. There will be no state between the Jordan River and the sea, except for Israel,” Maoz said, calling the sovereignty law an essential part of that effort.

Maoz concluded with a warning that aspects of the Trump peace framework could inadvertently legitimize Palestinian statehood and leave Hamas entrenched in Gaza. “The concern is very serious. The plan opens the door to a Palestinian state, it opens the door to leaving Hamas as a partner in governance in Gaza.” He reminded that both Hamas and the Palestinian Authority share the same ultimate goal — the elimination of Israel — and declared that Israel must make its stance unambiguous by asserting sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.

{Matzav.com}

Egged, Israel’s largest public transportation company, rolled out a new mobile app this week that lets passengers digitally load and validate their travel cards — a major technological step forward for the company.

But shortly after its release, the human rights group B’Tsalmo discovered that the app refers to areas in Judea and Samaria as the “West Bank,” sparking outrage from the organization’s leadership.

Following the discovery, B’Tsalmo CEO Shai Glick sent a formal letter to Egged on Monday morning, demanding that the company immediately amend the terminology.

While expressing appreciation for Egged’s modernization efforts, Glick stressed that “the use of the term ‘West Bank’ instead of ‘Judea and Samaria’ is a fundamental error, both historically and in terms of public sentiment.” He went on to say that many Israelis regard towns such as Shiloh, Beit El, and Hebron as an inseparable part of the nation’s ancient and modern identity.

In his letter, Glick pointed out that “Judea and Samaria” is the term officially recognized in Israeli law and increasingly used in international discussions, including by U.S. officials. He also referenced a directive issued by incoming Shin Bet chief David Zini, who instructed his agency to use “Judea and Samaria” as the standard term.

Glick further emphasized that Egged has long operated in these regions and has supported their residents even during difficult times — sometimes at great cost, noting the deadly terror attack that targeted one of its buses in the city of Emanuel.

Egged has not issued a response to the complaint.

HopOn, the company that developed the app, explained: “The maps in the app are based on Google Maps services and are not created or maintained by us. The region names appear as defined in global systems. Our goal is to provide users with accurate and up-to-date for navigation and location purposes only.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump slammed China’s “unfair trade practices” during a White House briefing, accusing Beijing of exploiting past U.S. administrations and warning of a 100% tariff hike if no deal is reached by November 1.

Trump vowed to protect American industries and farmers, declaring, “We’ll thrive together — or not at all.”

WATCH:

Rudy Giuliani, the onetime New York City mayor, threw his full support behind Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa in the city’s mayoral race, delivering a fiery endorsement that simultaneously blasted both front-runner Zohran Mamdani and independent contender Andrew Cuomo.

“Here’s my choice: 100% Curtis Sliwa,” Giuliani, 81, announced during his America’s Mayor Live podcast, where Sliwa appeared as a guest.

The program, which also streams on Newsmax2, gave Giuliani a platform to rally conservatives and law-and-order voters while taking aim at his political adversaries.

Giuliani’s endorsement comes as a potential game-changer in a tightly contested race. The nod is expected to pull right-leaning and centrist voters away from Cuomo, who has been attempting to appeal to those blocs after losing the Democratic primary to Mamdani, the Democratic Socialists of America assemblyman from Queens.

With Election Day set for November 4, the endorsement injected fresh energy into Sliwa’s campaign. Giuliani, who governed New York from 1994 to 2001 and later served as President Donald Trump’s attorney, described Sliwa as a “fighter for law and order” while skewering Cuomo as a leader who had failed his constituents.

“Cuomo ran a terrible campaign. He lost to a 33-year-old socialist, and let’s not forget — this is a governor who resigned in disgrace,” Giuliani said, referencing Cuomo’s 2021 resignation following harassment accusations, which Cuomo has denied.

Giuliani also reignited outrage over Cuomo’s COVID-era nursing home directive from March 2020 that required facilities to admit COVID-positive patients.

“That policy led to the deaths of many, many elderly people who were put in nursing homes and didn’t belong there,” Giuliani charged. “He’s tried to blame others, but blame it on him.”

He further criticized Cuomo for approving criminal justice reforms that he said endangered public safety.

“The guy who passed these laws is Andrew Cuomo,” Giuliani said. “He’s made this city and state less safe.”

Giuliani then turned his attention to Mamdani, unleashing his most heated rhetoric of the night. He called the Queens assemblyman an “avowed communist” and claimed that Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America “stand for everything evil.”

He accused Mamdani of showing sympathy toward “Islamic extremism” and harboring “hatred for America.”

Giuliani said Mamdani’s repeated denunciations of the NYPD as “racist” crossed a line.
“You better get on your knees and apologize for calling them racists! You bum,” Giuliani fumed. “He doesn’t belong in America — even if he’s a citizen.”

Despite urging from some Republican strategists to rally behind Cuomo as the only candidate who could stop Mamdani, Giuliani said he refused to compromise his beliefs.
“I’ve been told, ‘Support Cuomo, he’s the only one who can beat Mamdani.’ But I’m not going to betray my principles,” he said.

The endorsement gives Sliwa, the Guardian Angels founder and longtime Republican activist, a much-needed boost in a city where GOP candidates face steep odds. Giuliani’s enduring influence among older and conservative voters could lend critical momentum to Sliwa’s campaign and complicate Cuomo’s attempt to court the same demographic.

Sliwa celebrated the endorsement with gratitude and admiration, calling Giuliani “New York’s greatest mayor” and promising to emulate his approach.
“Rudy built this city back from chaos,” Sliwa said. “I’m honored to have his support and to continue his mission of law, order, and common sense.”

The development further highlights the bitter divides defining this year’s race. While President Trump has not endorsed Sliwa — reportedly dismissing him as “not exactly prime time” — Giuliani’s stamp of approval gives Sliwa a powerful ally with deep roots in New York’s political landscape.

“I know this city,” Giuliani said. “Curtis Sliwa is the only candidate who will protect New Yorkers, restore safety, and bring pride back to City Hall.”

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Peace Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s senior advisor and son-in-law, recounted an unexpected moment of connection with Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya during an interview that aired Sunday night on CBS News’ “60 Minutes.”

Witkoff described how, while meeting in Egypt as part of the ongoing peace efforts, he and the Hamas figure found themselves sharing a deeply personal exchange about loss. Witkoff’s son had tragically died at 22 from an opioid overdose, while al-Hayya’s son was killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted him in Doha, Qatar.

“We expressed our condolences to him for the loss of his son. He mentioned it. And I told him that I had lost a son, and that we were both members of a really bad club, parents who have buried children,” said Witkoff.

Kushner, reflecting on that encounter, said it offered a rare glimpse of humanity in a setting otherwise defined by hostility and grief. “What I saw at that moment was very interesting. You had– we go into a room and you have the Qataris, the Turks, and the Egyptians. And then we meet the four representatives of Hamas, which is a terrorist organization. And I’m looking at these guys and I’m thinking these are hardened guys who have been through two years of war. They’ve obviously, you know — they — they green-lit an assault that raped and murdered and did some of the most barbaric things. They’ve been holding hostages while Gaza’s been, you know, bombed. And they’ve withstood all the suffering.”

“But when Steve and him spoke about their sons, it turned from a negotiation with a terrorist group to seeing two human beings kind of showing a vulnerability with each other,” Kushner added.

The conversation, though brief, underscored the rare moments of empathy that can emerge even in the midst of relentless conflict and pain.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump engaged in an awkward exchange with an Australian ambassador at the White House during a meeting with the country’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

After a reporter asked Trump about previous comments that the ambassador had made, Trump asked if he was still working for Albanese. The Australian Prime Minister then pointed out that the ambassador was sitting at the table in the room, before Trump spoke directly to him.

“I don’t like you, either. I don’t, and I probably never will,” the president said.

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President Donald Trump issued a stern warning Monday to Hamas, saying the group must “be good” or face total destruction, as his administration works to preserve the fragile ceasefire he brokered between Israel and the terrorist organization.

“They’re violent people. Hamas has been very violent, but they don’t have the backing of Iran anymore,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

“They don’t have the backing of really anybody anymore. They have to be good, and if they’re not good, they’ll be eradicated.”

Trump’s comments came as his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and senior advisor Jared Kushner continued high-level talks in Israel with regional leaders aimed at keeping the president’s 20-point peace framework intact.

Witkoff and Kushner met Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, whose government halted movement into the region the previous day after two Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza.

Following the deadly attack, Israel’s military carried out airstrikes in response, with Hamas claiming 26 people were killed.

Trump’s envoys are racing to maintain stability following the unexpected diplomatic breakthrough orchestrated by Witkoff and Kushner earlier this month, which ended weeks of bloodshed.

Vice President JD Vance is set to arrive in Israel on Tuesday to reinforce the administration’s message and bolster the momentum behind Trump’s peace initiative.

Just one week ago, Hamas released the final 20 living Israeli hostages as part of the ceasefire deal, prompting Trump to visit both Israel and Egypt to mark what he called a “historic achievement.”

Since then, Washington has sought to hold the peace together—Trump through his blunt warnings to Hamas, and his envoys through quiet diplomacy and efforts to resolve accusations of ceasefire breaches.

As tensions rose over Hamas’s delay in returning the bodies of fallen hostages, U.S. officials announced a plan for Turkish disaster recovery teams to work alongside Israeli intelligence to help locate and recover remains. Speaking at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Witkoff said he was “confident” that every body would eventually be recovered.

Witkoff and Kushner have continued to portray the peace agreement as a monumental win for Israel, arguing it could dramatically expand on the Abraham Accords—Trump’s earlier diplomatic success that brought four Arab nations into normalization with the Jewish state.

Still, major questions remain unresolved, including when and how Hamas will disarm, and which entity will assume authority under a proposed interim Palestinian government.

According to U.S. officials, several nations—among them Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, and Indonesia—have volunteered troops for a potential stabilization force, with others such as Azerbaijan signaling interest in joining.

Trump has said that energy-rich Arab states are prepared to fund the reconstruction of Gaza, describing them as eager partners in rebuilding the coastal enclave of two million people.

{Matzav.com}

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei dismissed an invitation from President Donald Trump to reopen nuclear talks, flatly denying the claim that Washington has eliminated Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

In recent months, Tehran and Washington held five indirect negotiation rounds, which ultimately collapsed following a 12-day aerial offensive in June when Israel and the United States struck Iranian nuclear installations.

“Trump says he is a dealmaker, but if a deal is accompanied by coercion and its outcome is predetermined, it is not a deal but rather an imposition and bullying,” Khamenei declared through Iranian state outlets.

Trump had told the Knesset last week that the United States would welcome the chance to broker a “peace deal” with Tehran now that a truce between Israel and Hamas had taken hold in Gaza.

“The U.S. president proudly says they bombed and destroyed Iran’s nuclear industry. Very well, keep dreaming!” Khamenei scoffed, rejecting Washington’s claims.

He went on to question America’s involvement altogether, saying, “What does it have to do with America whether Iran has nuclear facilities or not? These interventions are inappropriate, wrong and coercive.”

Western nations continue to accuse Tehran of secretly pursuing a nuclear weapons program through uranium enrichment, while Iranian officials maintain the initiative is entirely for civilian power generation and not for building bombs.

{Matzav.com}