Matzav

Against the backdrop of growing reports of tension between Jordan and Israel, Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II announced on Sunday the revival of Jordan’s national military service program, which will reinstate mandatory conscription for the first time in 34 years.

Speaking at a gathering with young people in Irbid, in northern Jordan, the Crown Prince declared that the new framework would reintroduce compulsory service, according to the Jordanian news agency Arab News.

Prince Hussein emphasized that the younger generation must be prepared to serve and defend their homeland. “Those who have already experienced military service know its importance—not only from a security standpoint, but also in shaping one’s character and instilling discipline. Military service will strengthen national identity and deepen young people’s connection to their homeland,” he said.

The Crown Prince noted that he had previously instructed the government to work with its partners in developing the program and said that its implementation would follow a clear timetable, to be published soon.

Mandatory conscription in Jordan was abolished in 1991. At the time, men aged 18 to 40 were required to serve two years in the army. Since then, Jordan has relied heavily on U.S. military aid and a defense agreement with Washington, under which thousands of American soldiers are stationed in the kingdom.

This dramatic move comes amid increasing unease in Amman, where both official statements and recent policy steps have signaled concern over the shifting dynamics along Jordan’s border with Israel.

{Matzav.com Israel}

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has the ability to bring the conflict with Russia to an end “almost immediately” if he chooses.

The statement was issued just before Trump’s scheduled talks with Zelenskyy and a group of European heads of state in Washington, D.C. on Monday.

“President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!”

On Sunday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb all confirmed their participation in the Washington meeting.

Their attendance reflects Europe’s determination to show unity as the war with Russia continues with no end in sight.

Ahead of the White House session, Zelenskyy met with von der Leyen in Brussels, where they set priorities for the talks, including long-term Western military support, Ukraine’s efforts to join the EU, and maintaining transatlantic resolve against Moscow’s aggression.

At a joint press briefing, von der Leyen said she was pleased to be joining Zelenskyy and other leaders in Washington on Monday.

Trump, in turn, described hosting the gathering as a “great honor.”

“Big day at the White House tomorrow. Never had so many European Leaders at one time. My great honor to host them!!!” he said in another Truth Social post.

He also pushed back against media narratives about his meeting with Vladimir Putin. “The Fake News has been saying for 3 days that I suffered a ‘major defeat’ by allowing President Vladimir Putin of Russia to have a major Summit in the United States,” Trump said in another post. “Actually, he would have loved doing the meeting anywhere else but the U.S., and the Fake News knows this. It was a major point of contention! If we had the Summit elsewhere, the Democrat run and controlled media would have said what a terrible thing THAT was.

“These people are sick! They even want CRIME IN D.C., and other BLUE Cities throughout our Country, but don’t worry, I won’t let that happen,” Trump continued. “Just like our now secure Southern Border (ZERO illegals in last 3 months!), our cities will be Secure and Safe, and D.C. will lead the way!”

The upcoming White House discussions with Zelenskyy follow Trump’s high-profile summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage on Friday. During that encounter, Trump abandoned his earlier demand for a ceasefire and instead pushed for a comprehensive peace arrangement.

After that meeting, Trump stated that Putin was prepared to bring the fighting to a halt if Kyiv agreed to major territorial concessions. He stressed that Ukraine should consider the proposal since “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not.”

Zelenskyy, along with his European allies, has consistently refused any plan that would involve ceding Ukrainian land to Russia.

{Matzav.com}

‘Shark Tank’ investor Kevin O’Leary discusses the July CPI report and the New York City mayoral race on ‘The Bottom Line.’

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Bechadrei Chareidim reports that Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has recently turned to a surprising figure for advice in navigating the deepening crisis with his chareidi partners over the draft law. The man in question is none other than Reb Mordechai (Mottele) Karelitz, the former mayor of Bnei Brak and member of the state commission of inquiry into the 2021 Meron disaster, who personally signed off on the finding that placed responsibility for the tragedy squarely on Netanyahu himself.

According to information obtained by Bechadrei, Netanyahu and his aides have been consulting with Karelitz in recent weeks as frustration mounts over the draft issue. Given Karelitz’s longstanding ties with senior leaders of Degel HaTorah, who have hardened their stance on the law, Netanyahu’s circle has sought his input. Karelitz, for his part, has been reviewing options but has yet to offer clear solutions.

Karelitz, who once served as Bnei Brak’s mayor, was a member of the Tal Committee that produced the 2002 draft law. Most recently, he played a central role in the state inquiry into the Meron tragedy, which concluded that “the prime minister bears personal responsibility for the failures that led to the Meron disaster, even if he was not aware of the situation on the ground.”

Ironically, the very figure who placed Netanyahu at the center of Israel’s worst civilian disaster, in which 45 people lost their lives, has now been brought in to advise him on how to navigate the political quagmire of the draft law.

Sources confirm that Netanyahu has spoken with Karelitz several times in recent weeks, and just last week Karelitz was summoned to the Prime Minister’s Office for a meeting with Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs. What was once viewed as an adversarial relationship has now been transformed into close consultation.

Within Likud, eyebrows have been raised. Senior figures have asked, “…the prime minister has shown before that he’s willing to swallow any frog for political survival. But how did the prime minister’s wife, Sara Netanyahu, allow this? Did she approve it, or is this a failure on the part of his close circle—Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs and adviser Nevo Katz—who don’t realize the mess they’re walking into?!”

Among chareidi politicians, the response has been even sharper. A senior United Torah Judaism official fumed: “If the prime minister and cabinet secretary are running a separate channel on the draft law with someone outside the current political system—this is a total vote of no confidence in us as coalition partners. We will not remain silent.”

That same source directed harsh criticism at Fuchs personally: “Fuchs isn’t just going over our heads—he’s the one who sabotaged the talks until now, deceiving chareidi representatives with empty promises. Instead of being cabinet secretary for everyone, he is maneuvering in back rooms with one goal: to drag things out.”

This latest development comes on the heels of last week’s revelation of a significant rift between Netanyahu’s office and the chareidi parties over the draft bill’s wording. The chareidi side insists on reopening the agreement to soften sanctions, while Netanyahu insists on sticking to the version he claims to have finalized just prior to the Iranian attack.

Meanwhile, coalition insiders admit that it will be nearly impossible to pass the law before the upcoming Yomim Tovim, even at the committee stage. The Knesset is set to recess for two weeks starting next week, leaving only a brief window afterward to advance the legislation, making it unlikely the process will be completed in time.

{Matzav.com Israel}

On Sunday, Rebbetzin Sarah Sheina Kaplan a”h, a distinguished mechaneches at the Bais Yaakov HaYashan in Eretz Yisroel, who devoted decades of her life to teaching and inspiring generations of students, passed away. She was 91.

Rebbetzin Kaplan was born in Yerushalayim on 14 Teves 5694 (1933) to her father, the gaon Rav Avrohom Yaakov Zelaznik zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Etz Chaim and member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah, and to her mother, Mrs. Itta, the daughter of Rav Yisroel Shalom Luria, one of the renowned nekiyei hadaas of Yerushalayim.

In her youth, she married her husband, Rav Yosef Kaplan, rosh kollel of Beis Asher in Yerushalayim, who was niftar nearly a decade ago.

She was known as an eishes chayil who stood as a crown to her husband, sacrificing much for his Torah and carrying forward the heritage of her illustrious family. She was admired for her extraordinary ayin tova and her devotion to chinuch al taharas hakodesh.

For many decades, Rebbetzin Kaplan served as a teacher and mechaneches at Bais Yaakov HaYashan, where her influence left an indelible mark on countless talmidos. Her legacy in chinuch continues to be felt to this day.

She is survived by sons and numerous descendants, many of them accomplished talmidei chachomim.

Her levayah was held Sunday evening from her home on Rechov Gesher HaChaim in Yerushalayim, followed by kevurah on Har Hamenuchos.

The family is sitting shivah at her home, 5 Gesher HaChaim in Yerushalayim.

Yehi zichrah boruch.

{Matzav.com Israel}

According to reports in Arab media on Monday morning, Hamas was handed a ceasefire proposal from both Egypt and Qatar during a gathering that included other Palestinian factions. Those present pressed Hamas to deliver its reply within just a few hours.

The mediators are expected to hold additional discussions later in the day in El Alamein, Egypt, where they will convene with Qatar’s prime minister, the report noted.

On Sunday night, the office of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu made clear that Israel’s stance remains firm: the country will only agree to a broad arrangement that results in the simultaneous release of every Israeli hostage.

This declaration followed new claims suggesting that Hamas might be willing to show some leeway on a staged ceasefire and hostage deal.

“The Prime Minister’s Office clarifies that Israel will agree to a deal on condition that all the hostages are released in one go, and in accordance with our conditions for ending the war, which include the disarming of Hamas, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli control of the Gaza perimeter, and the installation of non-Hamas and non-Palestinian Authority governance that will live in peace with Israel,” the statement read.

{Matzav.com}

On Sunday, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee ridiculed the BBC after the British broadcaster once again circulated inaccurate reporting on the Gaza conflict.

Earlier that day, the IDF pushed back against a BBC story which claimed that a Palestinian woman who left Gaza for medical care had died of malnutrition.

The patient, Marah Abu Zohry, had been flown to Pisa last Wednesday night on a humanitarian mission arranged by the Italian government.

Two days later, after undergoing testing and beginning medical treatment, she passed away from sudden respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. Italian outlets reported she had been suffering from extreme malnutrition.

In its rebuttal, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) clarified the woman’s medical condition, tweeting: “The facts, which the report did not mention: 20-year-old Marah Zohry suffered from leukemia.”

British columnist Melanie Phillips also blasted the BBC on social media. She wrote on X, “Israel helps evacuate cancer sufferer from Gaza to Italy. She dies there of leukemia. BBC suggests Israel starved her to death. To the BBC, even cancer is Israel’s fault.”

Huckabee reposted her remarks with his own scathing commentary: “Will the BBC retract the story and apologize? Of course. The same day a Baskin Robbins opens a franchise in h—.”

Following the backlash, the BBC later updated its article to include Israel’s clarification that the young woman had leukemia.

The BBC has faced consistent criticism over what many call a pattern of anti-Israel bias, particularly since the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre.

In November 2023, the outlet issued an apology after wrongly alleging that Israeli forces had targeted medical personnel during fighting in and around Shifa Hospital.

Previously, the network had falsely pinned responsibility on Israel for an explosion at a Gaza hospital—an incident later shown to have been caused by a misfired Islamic Jihad rocket. The BBC eventually admitted “it was false to speculate” on the cause.

Earlier this year, the organization came under scrutiny after it was revealed that the narrator of its documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone was the son of a senior Hamas leader.

Amid the uproar, the BBC conceded that the program contained “serious flaws,” and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he is “concerned” about the documentary.

In another controversy several months back, BBC anchor Nicky Shiller described three hostages freed by Hamas as “prisoners,” equating them with jailed terrorists.

That misstep drew sharp criticism, and the broadcaster later issued an apology.

{Matzav.com}

According to a report in the Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat, terror factions inside Gaza are weighing the possibility of relocating hostages into Gaza City in order to connect their fate with Israel’s expected military campaign there. Israeli officials, however, believe the publication is more likely a tactic aimed at stirring resistance to the IDF’s next move.

The article, released on Sunday, claimed that militants are holding internal discussions about transferring captives to Gaza City so their well-being would be directly tied to Israel’s anticipated push to seize control of the territory’s largest urban center.

Representatives from within the groups told the paper that although the idea carries great risk, it is nonetheless under review by senior leaders both within Gaza and abroad. “The goal is to increase pressure on Israel and link the fate of the living hostages to Netanyahu’s decisions,” the report noted.

Up until now, the dominant approach has been to safeguard the hostages’ survival so they could be leveraged for prisoner exchanges or to obtain a ceasefire agreement.

But the shifting battlefield reality has prompted consideration of a new course, one in which the captives’ survival would be directly tied to the plight of Gaza’s civilian population.

Insiders further told the newspaper that such a move had not been proposed in other regions under Israeli assault, asserting that “the current plan for Gaza City is the most dangerous of all.”

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities view the coverage as part of a psychological campaign by Hamas, designed to inflame public opinion inside Israel against any ground maneuver in Gaza and to place added political strain on the government.

{Matzav.com}

On Sunday night, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara submitted her official reply to the Supreme Court in connection with the petitions against Justice Minister Yariv Levin. The matter stems from Levin’s directive to replace the locks on his Tel Aviv office, effectively preventing her from entering the workspace she had long been using.

In her response, Baharav-Miara explained that from the outset of her service she had followed a well-established practice, one that had been in place for at least ten years. According to her, the Attorney General and her staff regularly worked out of the Tel Aviv government compound on days when neither the minister nor the ministry’s director-general were present. She said this arrangement had been coordinated with both offices. Baharav-Miara herself would use the minister’s office, while her team worked from the neighboring rooms.

“Only after the government’s decision, and directly related to it, was a unilateral step taken – with no explanation – to lock the minister’s office,” she wrote.

She went on to argue that the change directly violated clear instructions from the Supreme Court, which had barred any alterations to the current working setup. “It appears the intent was to harm the status of the Attorney General and her professional functioning,” she added.

Justice Minister Levin, for his part, had earlier filed a forceful reply of his own, stressing that the Tel Aviv office was his alone. He accused the court of wasting its focus on trivial matters instead of giving priority to pressing issues concerning citizens’ rights.

“There were days when matters at the heart of civil liberties stood at the top of the court’s agenda – but these are different times,” Levin said. He also pointed to the investigative committee on spyware, which remains inactive due to a court injunction. “While a committee investigating serious violations of civil rights is stalled, matters that are neither urgent nor significant receive immediate judicial attention.”

Levin also took issue with the court’s choice to convene an expanded nine-judge panel for the hearings on this case, describing it as “one of the strangest episodes in the history of the judiciary.”

{Matzav.com}

On Sunday, Jewish-American commentator and activist Shabbos Kestenbaum delivered a strong rebuke of the huge rallies that swept through Israel, where hundreds of thousands demonstrated against the government and called for the release of hostages in Gaza. He insisted that the outrage was directed at the wrong target.

Posting on X, Kestenbaum explained his position. “I am not Israeli and have never commented on internal Israeli politics. But tonight I have to make an exception. 350,000 Israelis are taking to the street to protest Netanyahu and demand the return of all hostages. But their anger is entirely misplaced.”

He stressed that Hamas—not Israel—bears the blame for the captives’ plight. “That ‘Bring Them Home’ became the mantra instead of ‘Let Them Go’ is so regrettable and makes zero sense. The onus is on Hamas to release the hostages, not Israel! Bibi accepted the ceasefire deal, Hamas rejected it!” he stated.

According to Kestenbaum, such demonstrations ultimately undermine Israel’s position on the world stage. “Go protest at the Qatari embassy, border of Gaza, White House, or UN! A deal requires two parties to agree, Israel has and Hamas hasn’t, so how exactly is protesting the agreeing party helpful? It’s just so, so damaging to the cause,” he wrote.

Still, he made it clear that his words were not meant to diminish the anguish of Israelis. “I do not discount the real pain so many in Israel feel. Diasporic Jewry stands with you. I have proudly spoken at dozens of weekly hostage rallies here in the US. I’m arguing that mass protests against Bibi no longer make sense given that Bibi accepted Witkoff’s plan.”

{Matzav.com}

On Sunday night, Channel 12 News featured an interview with Eli Sharabi, who had endured months in Hamas captivity. The conversation came just hours after large-scale demonstrations were held across the country, with thousands calling for the immediate release of the hostages still trapped in Gaza.

Sharabi recounted the torment of being deprived of food during his imprisonment. “It was deliberate starvation, and you remember it vividly – that kind of abuse through hunger. While we had a single bowl of pasta a day, which was awful in itself, they ate three or four meals daily, including sweets. You see them laughing in your face, flaunting the food, even claiming they’re suffering the same way.”

He went on to describe how humanitarian shipments were diverted underground for the benefit of the captors. “From what we saw, dozens of cartons of aid were brought into the tunnels. On one hand, it’s infuriating – they took control of everything and ate like kings, while we were genuinely starved. On the other hand, you hope that as food arrives, you might be able to ask for something more and they’ll take pity on you.”

Turning to the demonstrations held that evening, Sharabi expressed how much they meant to him. “It warms the heart – it’s amazing. I remember when I was released, I had been cut off from any media for 16 months. When I got out and saw what the people of Israel did for the hostages and their families, it touched me deeply.”

Sharabi emphasized how grateful he remains for the solidarity he has witnessed since regaining his freedom. “Since then, I’ve been full of gratitude. I meet so many Israelis in so many places, and I thank them. It’s incredible. The support gives immense strength to the families who suffer day after day, hour after hour, in uncertainty and sorrow. Seeing the people of Israel standing behind them gives so much strength.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk joins ‘Fox & Friends’ to discuss Zohran Mamdani’s candidacy as he continues his anti-Trump tour across New York City and the latest on the heated battle in Texas over redistricting.

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{Matzav.com}

On Sunday, former Vice President Mike Pence offered praise for President Donald Trump’s persistence in backing Ukraine, even as he noted he would have preferred that the Alaska meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had produced a ceasefire.

“I think he deserves credit as leader of the free world for not giving up on Ukraine, particularly, Jake, since there are many voices in and around the administration that would have cut Ukraine loose months ago. So, I want to commend the president for trying to make progress,” Pence told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”

“I must tell you, I would have liked to have seen a ceasefire, but the truth is that no deal is better than a bad deal,” he continued.

Pence described the takeaways shared by Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff as “encouraging,” highlighting especially “that there was at least an assent in Putin’s and Trump’s meeting to the United States providing security guarantees” without Washington being forced to give up anything that might endanger the U.S. or Europe.

“But, at the end of the day, it’s important to remember the bad guy here is Putin. Putin launched an unprovoked, brutal invasion more than three years ago. I have traveled to Ukraine twice. I have literally walked the streets, seen the aftermath of that brutal invasion. And now, more than ever, America and our allies need to stand strongly with Ukraine and create the conditions for a just and lasting peace,” Pence added.

Pence urged Trump to deal with Putin with firmness, warning, “In my judgment, Putin is not going to stop until he’s stopped.”

“I served alongside the president for four years. I know his style in dealing with these dictators. It’s the velvet glove, but I think the hammer needs to come, and it needs to come immediately,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that the discussions between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin made sufficient headway to set up a session with Ukrainian and European leaders. Speaking on CBS, Rubio noted the outcome of Friday’s summit warranted the next round of talks.

Rubio explained that in order to secure an end to the conflict, both Kyiv and Moscow would have to compromise, stressing that Washington could not necessarily deliver a guaranteed peace arrangement. European officials will accompany Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to Washington on Monday to join Trump, as the president pushes Ukraine toward a rapid settlement following his meeting with Putin.

“I’m not saying we’re on the verge of a peace deal, but I am saying that we saw movement, enough movement to justify a follow-up meeting with Zelenskiy and the Europeans,” Rubio told the “Face the Nation” show.

His remarks were among the earliest official accounts from an American participant at the Alaska summit with Putin. Trump himself posted online afterward, writing, “BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!” without elaborating further.

In a separate interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” Rubio said the negotiations had refined the focus to several core matters. These, he said, included finalizing borders, arranging lasting security guarantees for Kyiv, and determining which military partnerships Ukraine could pursue. “There’s a lot of work that remains,” he added.

Putin, for his part, has insisted that NATO membership for Ukraine is off the table. NATO’s Article 5 serves as a collective defense clause, requiring members to defend any ally under attack.

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy to Moscow, told CNN that the American side secured “the concession that the United States could offer Article Five-like protection.”

When pressed for specifics, he explained, “the United States is potentially prepared to be able to give Article Five security guarantees, but not from NATO, directly from the United States, and other European countries.” He noted this would be one of the issues taken up in Washington on Monday.

Reports from insiders said Trump and Putin examined proposals under which Russia would return small parts of occupied Ukrainian territory, while Ukraine might in turn give up a heavily fortified zone in the east and lock in the existing front lines elsewhere.

“We may not like it, it may not be pleasant, it may be distasteful, but in order for there to be an end of the war, there are things Russia wants that it cannot get, and there are things Ukraine wants that it’s not going to get,” said Rubio.

In another appearance on ABC, Rubio emphasized that if no agreement were achieved, existing U.S. sanctions on Russia would stay in force, and new ones could also be imposed. He recalled that Zelenskiy’s last White House visit in February ended with shouting, but insisted on CBS that the Europeans traveling to Washington now were not there to protect the Ukrainian leader.

“They’re not coming here tomorrow to keep Zelenskiy from being bullied. They’re coming here tomorrow because we’ve been working with the Europeans,” he said.

“We invited them to come.”

{Matzav.com}

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff revealed on Sunday that during President Donald Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow accepted that Washington and its European partners could extend to Ukraine a form of protection similar to NATO’s Article 5 as part of an eventual agreement to end the war that has dragged on for three and a half years.

“We were able to win the following concession: That the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” He added that it “was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that.”

At a press event in Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stood alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and declared that “we welcome President Trump’s willingness to contribute to Article 5-like security guarantees for Ukraine. and the ‘Coalition of the willing’ — including the European Union — is ready to do its share.”

Offering an early glimpse into what was discussed at Friday’s summit in Alaska, Witkoff said the parties agreed on “robust security guarantees that I would describe as game-changing.” He explained that Russia pledged to put into law a commitment not to seek further territorial expansion in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to Washington for the indications that it is prepared to help provide security assurances, though he cautioned that the specifics are still missing.
“It is important that America agrees to work with Europe to provide security guarantees for Ukraine,” he said, “But there are no details how it will work, and what America’s role will be, Europe’s role will be and what the EU can do, and this is our main task, we need security to work in practice like Article 5 of NATO, and we consider EU accession to be part of the security guarantees.”

Witkoff defended Trump’s decision not to push for an immediate ceasefire agreement from Russia, saying the president shifted focus to a broader peace framework because the negotiations had advanced significantly.
“We covered almost all the other issues necessary for a peace deal,” Witkoff said, without elaborating.

“We began to see some moderation in the way they’re thinking about getting to a final peace deal,” he said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that if a ceasefire was not achieved, Trump had already made clear before the summit that there would be “additional consequences.” But he pointed out that any ceasefire arrangement could not have been struck since Ukraine was not present at the table.
“Now, ultimately, if there isn’t a peace agreement, if there isn’t an end of this war, the president’s been clear, there are going to be consequences,” Rubio said on ABC’s “This Week.” “But we’re trying to avoid that. And the way we’re trying to avoid those consequences is with an even better consequence, which is peace, the end of hostilities.”

Rubio, who also serves as Trump’s national security adviser, argued that new sanctions would not be the tool to bring Putin into line, though he did not rule them out completely. He stressed that “the best way to end this conflict is through a full peace deal.”

“The minute you issue new sanctions, your ability to get them to the table, our ability to get them to table will be severely diminished,” Rubio said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

He further cautioned that a final agreement was still far off.
“We’re not at the precipice of a peace agreement,” he said, adding that reaching such a deal would demand time and effort.

“We made progress in the sense that we identified potential areas of agreement, but there remains some big areas of disagreement. So we’re still a long ways off,” Rubio said.

On Monday, Trump will host Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House for follow-up talks after his discussions with Putin. Witkoff said the atmosphere after Friday’s summit was optimistic.
“I think everybody agreed that we had made progress. Maybe not enough for a peace deal, but we are on the path for the first time,” Witkoff said.

He noted that the most contentious issue—territorial swaps—was not on the table in Alaska. “The fundamental issue, which is some sort of land swap, which is obviously ultimately in the control of the Ukrainians — that could not have been discussed at this meeting” with Putin. “We intend to discuss it on Monday. Hopefully we have some clarity on it and hopefully that ends up in a peace deal very, very soon.”

{Matzav.com}

While one yeshiva student from Be’er Yehuda was unexpectedly released from prison, the wave of protests outside Military Prison 10 in Israel continued on Motzoei Shabbos, with thousands from across Chassidic communities gathering to denounce the arrest and imprisonment of yeshiva bochurim and avreichim for avoiding the army draft.

The large demonstration, one of many held in recent weeks, included participation from Chassidic groups such as Gur, Vizhnitz, Seret-Vizhnitz, Boyan, Lelov, and Ziditchoiv.

Currently, five detainees remain behind bars in the military facility:

• Rafael Yitzchakov, talmid of Yeshivas Meoros HaTorah

• Elazar Kaufman, avreich

• Dovid Menachem Mintzberg, avreich

• Dov Aryeh Mordechai Rabinowitz, avreich

• Ro’i Helman, talmid of Yeshivas Etz Chaim under the Ahavas Shalom network

On Motzoei Shabbos, Meir Yona, a bochur from Yeshivas Be’er Yehuda, was released unexpectedly, followed this morning by Baruch Yitzchakov, a talmid of Meoros HaTorah.

In recent days, there have been dozens of attempted midnight arrests of additional yeshiva students and avreichim at their homes, including an attempted arrest of a young Sephardi avreich in Givat Mordechai, Yerushalayim, on Motzoei Shabbos.

The demonstration outside Prison 10 drew representation from multiple communities: Gur (Bnei Brak), Vizhnitz (Haifa and Bnei Brak), Seret-Vizhnitz (Haifa), Boyan (Beitar), Lelov (Bnei Brak), and Ziditchoiv.

Rabbonim and admorim addressed the crowd with fiery words:

• Rav Chaim Yisroel Abramczyk, Rosh Yeshivas Chiddushei HaRim, declared: “The Shechinah is in exile. They do not want to allow lomdei Torah in Eretz Yisroel to immerse in Torah. But there is no doubt that Hashem will remove this terrible decree. We are His messengers in this battle.”

• Rav Yosef Tzvi Eckstein, of Gur in Bnei Brak, cried out: “We are standing here at the gates of a military prison—not in Russia, but in Eretz Yisroel. Only here are they throwing into jail those who wish to learn Torah. They will not defeat us.”

• Rav Chaim Meir Weissblum, of Seret-Vizhnitz, said: “Eretz Yisroel without Torah is like a body without a soul. It is Torah that holds the land, no one else.”

• The Ziditchoiver Rebbe of Beitar addressed the gathering with emotion: “We left everything and came here to cry out against the arrest of Jews whose only ‘offense’ was wanting to learn Torah in Eretz Yisroel. We stand with you in your pain. We will not abandon you. Let them learn Torah!” With tears he added, “They are throwing yeshiva bochurim and avreichim into prison. We daven that Hashem save us from this dreadful decree.”

• Rav Dovid Tzvi Biderman, son of the Lelover Rebbe of Bnei Brak, exclaimed: “There is no place for a Torah Jew in the army, even if he is not learning full-time. Have you lost your minds? If a bochur breaks his leg, would you break his head too? You will not draft us—no matter the price.”

• Rav Mordechai Shlomo Brim, of Boyan, told the crowd: “Every mother needs to know that when she sends her child to yeshiva, alongside food and a bed, she must now also prepare for the possibility of him ending up in military prison. But we are strong, and we will stand firm.”

As the chants and cries filled the night air outside Prison 10, the message from the Chassidic community was clear: the arrests of Torah learners will not be accepted in silence.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Baruch Yitzchakov, the yeshiva bochur who was held in military prison for 13 days over charges of army desertion, was released on Sunday to scenes of singing and dancing. He had been represented throughout his case by Agudas Bnei HaYeshivos.

As he walked out of the military facility, Yitzchakov was greeted joyfully by friends and supporters who broke out in celebration.

Speaking immediately afterward in an interview, he described his experiences during the detention and the powerful encouragement he received from visits by Gedolei Yisroel.

“Gedolei Yisroel danced with us and sang with us,” he said with emotion. “They brought us life, and we felt an incredible uplift and elevation that not everyone merits to experience.”

Among the most moving moments for him was a visit from Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka. “Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch told me, ‘I want to stay here with you for Shabbos,’ but they told him it wasn’t possible,” Yitzchakov recalled.

He added that the constant protests outside the prison gave the detainees tremendous strength. “We felt the thunder of the protests from outside, and it strengthened us greatly and lifted all of our spirits. Now I will have more strength to learn, after the uplifting experience in prison.”

Yitzchakov’s brother, Rafael Yitzchakov, a talmid of Yeshivas Meoros HaTorah, is also being held in military prison and is scheduled to be released this coming Thursday.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Beginning Monday, a large delegation of Satmar philanthropists and leaders will arrive in Israel to take part in a series of events surrounding the hilulah of the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum zt”l. The delegation, led by the prominent Satmar benefactor Yoeli Landau, will also be strengthening Satmar’s independent education system in Israel.

Joining the trip is the Rebbe’s eldest son, Rav Chaim Tzvi Teitelbaum, who is traveling as his father’s emissary, as well as the elder chossid Rav Chaim Yechezkel Stein, who merited to serve the Satmar Rebbe personally.

On Tuesday afternoon, a massive Torah dedication parade will take place through the central streets of Yerushalayim—including Strauss, Kikar HaShabbos, Yechezkel, Ezra, Nechemia, Bar Ilan, Eli HaKohein, and Givat Moshe. The new Torah will be escorted by Satmar children on open buses, before being brought into the Satmar Talmud Torah in the Ezras Torah neighborhood. The Torah is being donated by Rav Chaim Yechezkel Stein, longtime attendant of the Rebbe zt”l and grandfather of Yoeli Landau.

That evening, the main gathering marking the Rebbe’s yahrtzeit will be held in Kiryas Yoel Moshe in Ezras Torah, with thousands expected to attend, alongside the rabbonim of the Eidah HaChareidis.

On Wednesday afternoon, an event will be held atop the newly completed Satmar school building on Rechov Yechezkel. This striking building, funded through the generosity of Yoeli Landau—who contributed millions of dollars—has just been completed and will be formally inaugurated with a festive kabbalas panim and mezuzah dedication. Present will be the Rebbe’s son, members of the Eidah HaChareidis Beis Din, leaders of the Yetev Lev institutions, and prominent philanthropists including the Shwimmer family of New York.

Later that day, a massive tent in the Gush Shemonim neighborhood will host thousands of children from Eidah HaChareidis institutions in honor of the visiting supporters. Yoeli Landau will address the children. At the request of the Rebbe, the thousands of young students will also be urged to daven for the nullification of the draft decree threatening the Torah world in Israel.

{Matzav.com Israel}

A video showing Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker being held in Gaza has now been made public after his family decided to release it.

The footage, which the IDF uncovered during its operations inside Gaza, is believed to date back several months. Some accounts indicate it may have been recorded at the onset of the war.

“Go out and make noise just as you know how to do,” Zangauker is heard saying in the brief message directed at his relatives and friends.

WATCH:

It remains uncertain how long the family had possession of the video, which was never published by Hamas itself.

Throughout the conflict, whenever the IDF has discovered images or recordings of hostages in Gaza, it has delivered them to the families, who in many cases later decide to share them with the wider public.

{Matzav.com Israel}