Matzav

Dear Matzav Inbox,

There is a certain tactic that has become all too familiar: arrive with a camera and a microphone, present oneself as curious and respectful, provoke just enough friction to spark a reaction, and then disappear into the editing room to manufacture a narrative that was decided long before the first question was ever asked.

That is precisely what blogger Tyler Oliveira has been doing as he deliberately travels to frum neighborhoods. His latest victim was Kiryas Yoel, as you can see in the video below.

He does not come to understand. He does not come to learn. He comes to extract moments — clipped, rearranged, stripped of context — that can later be repackaged to portray Jews in a negative light. A pause becomes hostility. A thoughtful answer becomes evasive. A nuanced explanation becomes a punchline.

Many frum Jews, when approached by someone with a microphone, engage in good faith. They assume, perhaps naively, that the person asking questions is genuinely interested in hearing how they live, what they value, and why their communities function as they do. They speak openly, respectfully, and sincerely. What they do not realize is that their words may later be selectively edited, reframed, or mocked to serve a predetermined storyline. That’s Tyler Oliveira game.

A recurring theme in Oliveira’s content is hostility toward Orthodox Jews for having large families. He repeatedly frames this as “draining the system,” deliberately conflating lawful, government-approved benefits with fraud. That framing is incorrect and deeply misleading. Families across America utilize tax credits, subsidies, and benefits explicitly created by law, yet only Orthodox Jews are singled out and cast as morally suspect for doing so.

This double standard is not accidental. It reinforces an ugly and dangerous narrative that paints religious Jews as parasitic, dishonest, and undeserving, a narrative with a long and troubling history. That’s what Tyler Oliveira is engaged in.

This is not journalism. It is not honest inquiry. It is provocation followed by selective editing, designed to generate clicks by inflaming resentment. And the damage is real. These videos circulate far beyond their original platforms, shaping opinions among viewers who have never set foot in a Jewish neighborhood and who will never meet the people being caricatured on their screens.

The Orthodox Jewish community does not owe Tyler Oliveira — or anyone else — performative explanations of its existence. Nor does it need to submit itself to bad-faith interrogations disguised as curiosity. Awareness is essential. Walking away, declining interviews, and refusing to participate in staged encounters may be the most responsible response.

Truth does not fear questions. But questions asked with an agenda, and answers twisted to fit it, have nothing to do with truth at all.

Tyler Oliveira, go away and target someone else.

Moshe Binem Schwartz

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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey sharply criticized the federal government’s stepped-up immigration enforcement in his city, describing it as an overreach that could spark confrontations between local police and federal agents, while urging demonstrators to keep protests peaceful.

The Democratic mayor said residents have the right to observe and record ICE activity on city streets and cautioned against escalating tensions as federal operations expand.

“We will not counter Donald Trump’s chaos with our own brand of chaos here,” Frey said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “And we’re not going to give them an excuse to do the thing that clearly they’re trying to set up to do right now.”

Reflecting on the scope of the federal presence, Frey added, “I never thought in a million years that we would be invaded by our own federal government.”

The enforcement surge began last year after Minnesota was rocked by a major welfare fraud scandal, prompting the Trump administration to intensify operations across the state.

Since then, roughly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol officers have been assigned to Minneapolis, a city with a local police force of about 600 officers. Reuters has reported that the administration is also preparing to send 1,500 military personnel into the city.

Frey said the increased presence has heightened anxiety among residents. He noted that some people have asked police to confront federal agents directly.

“We can’t have that in America,” Frey said Sunday when asked about those concerns. “What we are hopeful for here is the judicial system to do its part to see that necessary check and balance.”

Minnesota and Illinois have filed lawsuits seeking to block the influx of federal personnel, arguing that the deployments overstep federal authority.

President Trump has also suggested he could invoke the Insurrection Act — last used in 1992 — to deploy the National Guard to Minnesota, a move Frey said would “be a shocking step.”

Border czar Tom Homan has said the administration could reduce the federal footprint if local officials agree to “let us in the jail.”

Pressed on that point, Frey pushed back.

“I don’t think Homan understands the basic dynamic as to how stuff works in Minnesota here,” Frey said, insisting that Minneapolis enforces the law and is serious about public safety. “But the bottom line is, as we know, this is not about safety. It’s not about crime.”

“This is about intimidation. And, in Minneapolis, we’re not going to be intimidated.”

Separately, CBS News reported last week that the Justice Department is examining whether Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have worked together to obstruct federal immigration enforcement.

“We haven’t received anything, a subpoena or otherwise,” Frey said Sunday on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” “And obviously it would be deeply concerning if the federal government is targeting someone for [an action] that is quite literally my job.”

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The Defense Department has directed approximately 1,500 active-duty service members to be ready for a potential deployment to Minnesota amid concerns that tensions in the state could intensify, according to defense officials.

Army units have been issued prepare-to-deploy orders, a step meant to ensure they can be mobilized quickly if conditions on the ground deteriorate and violence escalates beyond the control of local authorities.

The heightened military readiness follows warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump that he could invoke the Insurrection Act if state leaders fail to prevent protesters from interfering with federal immigration enforcement operations.

“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Thursday.

Officials stressed that the order does not mean troops will automatically be sent into the state, but rather that the military is positioning itself to respond swiftly should the situation worsen.

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Last Wednesday, Agudath Israel of America led a New York delegation of advocates from across the state to Washington, D.C. for a full day of high-level federal advocacy. The delegation spent the day meeting with more than a dozen members of Congress to advance issues of critical importance to the Jewish community.

Throughout the day, delegates highlighted key federal priorities, ranging from the new Federal tax Credit Scholarship (FSTC) to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), as well as other issues affecting Jewish families, schools, and institutions.

At the top of the agenda was the issue of rising antisemitism. Just last week a synagogue in Mississippi was destroyed by arson, and in New York protestors gathered in front of a shul and Jewish school, leading antisemitic chants such as, “We support Hamas” and “Intifada revolution.” Delegates thanked the members for speaking out about these incidents and discussed additional steps to better protect Jewish institutions and communities.

As part of its comprehensive approach to communal safety, Agudath Israel emphasized the importance of both the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) and the Pray Safe Act.

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides critical federal support to nonprofits facing elevated security risks, helping them obtain the equipment needed to protect their facilities. With shuls, schools, and Jewish organizations in New York relying heavily on this program, Agudath Israel emphasized to lawmakers the need for reliable access and increased funding.

The delegation also discussed the Pray Safe Act, legislation sponsored by Representative Grace Meng, that would direct federal agencies to collect – and help faith-based organizations and houses of worship access – information on best practices, federal grants, and training programs to better safeguard and secure their religious facilities.

On the education front, the group talked about the new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC). Starting in 2027, the FSTC allows individual taxpayers to contribute to a nonprofit scholarship granting organization (SGO) and receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit worth up to $1700. The SGO then pools the funds and distributes scholarships to eligible students for a wide range of K-12 educational expenses including private school tuition However, in order for SGOs to be approved, the state in which they are located must opt in to the tax credit and include them on a list sent to Treasury. Treasury and the IRS recently requested public input on key issues necessary for implementation. The group urged legislators to do what they can to ensure that New Yorkers can fully benefit from the law and expand educational opportunities for families across the state.

The delegation met with Representatives Yvette Clarke (D-NY-09), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY-02), Laura Gillen (D-NY-04), Dan Goldman (D-NY-10), Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY-01), Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23), George Latimer (D-NY-16), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), Grace Meng (D-NY-06), Josh Riley (D-NY-19), Pat Ryan (D-NY-18), Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03), and Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15), as well as staff of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24).

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TV presenter and journalist Piers Morgan is recovering in a London hospital after suffering an injury caused by a fall at a hotel restaurant, where he stumbled over a small step.

The 60-year-old host of the YouTube program Piers Morgan Uncensored disclosed that the accident left him with a fractured femur, an injury that required hip replacement surgery. He remains hospitalized and said he expects to rely on crutches for roughly six weeks as he recuperates.

Morgan announced the incident in a lighthearted post on social media, writing: “New Year off to a cracking start! I blame Donald Trump.”

The remark was in keeping with Morgan’s long-running habit of poking fun at Donald Trump, whom he has frequently targeted with jokes and satirical takes, including parodies related to Trump’s presidential campaigns and tariff policies.

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Israel’s government has moved closer to opening its roads to app-based ride-hailing services after the Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved a bill that would legalize companies such as Uber and Lyft and introduce new competition into the transportation market.

The proposed law, submitted by Blue and White MK Eitan Ginsburg together with Likud MK Moshe Passal, would allow shared ride-hailing platforms like Uber and Lyft to operate nationwide by linking private drivers and passengers through mobile apps. The legislation is slated to reach the Knesset floor for a preliminary vote as early as next week.

The initiative follows months of efforts by Transportation Minister Miri Regev to bring Uber into Israel, potentially within the current year. In addition to passenger rides, the company is known internationally for services that include food delivery, logistics, and other on-demand transportation options.

The Transportation Ministry said the bill is designed to establish clear rules for ride-hailing services, addressing passenger safety, vetting of drivers, insurance coverage, and vehicle inspections, while also providing a structured support and compensation framework for Israel’s taxi drivers as new competitors enter the market.

“This reform is about propelling Israel into a new age of smart, convenient, and affordable transportation,” Regev said. “Passing this bill marks a landmark moment that will break long-standing monopolies, ease congestion on our roads, create thousands of jobs, and bring real competition that will help lower the cost of living.”

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Governments across the globe responded cautiously over the weekend to U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to create a new international “Board of Peace,” with many officials questioning whether the initiative could sideline or erode existing United Nations structures, according to Reuters.

Diplomatic sources said invitations were sent to approximately 60 countries, reaching European capitals beginning yesterday. Hungary emerged as the only nation to openly and firmly embrace the proposal, with Prime Minister Viktor Orban describing the offer as an “honourable invitation.” Orban is widely viewed as one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe.

Elsewhere, governments largely avoided formal public reactions. However, several officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, voiced unease that the proposed body could diminish the authority of the United Nations. A draft charter and accompanying letter reviewed by Reuters indicate that Trump would serve as chairman of the board for life. The document states that the board would initially concentrate on the Gaza conflict, with the option of later expanding its focus to other international crises.

Under the proposal, participating countries would serve three-year terms unless they commit $1 billion each, a contribution that would secure permanent membership. The White House defended this framework, arguing that permanent seats would be limited to countries showing a deep and lasting commitment to global peace and security.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said during a visit to South Korea that Italy was ready to “do our part,” though she did not specify whether she was referring directly to Gaza or to the broader initiative. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada had agreed in principle to take part in a Board of Peace centered on Gaza, subject to further clarification of its structure and mandate.

European concerns reportedly deepened after invitations included a formal charter, prompting some diplomats to warn that the board could operate as a parallel international institution. One diplomat characterized the concept as a “Trump United Nations” that ignores the foundational principles of the UN Charter.

A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres responded by saying that member states are free to form alternative groupings, while stressing that the United Nations will continue to carry out its established responsibilities.

President Trump said the board would convene soon, describing it as an unprecedented initiative unlike any previous international body. He told Reuters earlier in the week that the effort would start with Gaza and later turn to other conflicts as they arise.

The White House has identified several figures expected to serve on the board, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Additional appointments are expected to be announced in the weeks ahead.

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Left-wing activists in New York City are organizing a large-scale effort aimed at disrupting anticipated federal immigration enforcement, with plans to mobilize more than 4,000 volunteers in what they describe as “rapid response” teams targeting ICE activity across the city.

Details of the initiative were laid out Thursday by allies of Mayor Mamdani within the Democratic Socialists of America during a meeting of the group’s Immigrant Justice Working Group. The gathering took place at the People’s Forum, a Midtown venue linked to the Chinese Communist Party and adorned with images of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara.

“As we’ve seen in other cities, we still do anticipate a big wave of federal immigration enforcement,” a DSA leader who identified herself only as Marina told the crowd of more than 100 attendees.

“It can be confusing, it can be scary, it can be kind of uncertain what’s happening in New York right now. . . . But we want to be on our front foot if and when it does.”

According to organizers, the NYC chapter plans to train roughly 2,000 DSA members and an additional 2,000 non-members, while also deploying 50 trainers to support the effort.

The group is also expanding staffing for its ICE hotline, with the goal of operating it around the clock.

“If you speak Pular, if you speak Creole, if you speak Fulani – come find us,” urged one leader. “We really want you on the team.”

Organizers did not disclose the cost of the initiative, but fundraising was a recurring theme throughout the nearly two-hour meeting. At one point, a leader passed around a red beanie to collect cash donations from attendees.

Many in the audience—largely white Gen Z activists—said they were attending for the first time, motivated by the recent death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis mother who was fatally shot by an ICE agent during a confrontation earlier this month.

Good had been involved with an anti-ICE group trained to “resist” immigration enforcement, a model organizers said they hope to replicate in New York.

“ICE is a violent organization and has been emboldened to respond to a lot of the work that many of you participated in,” a leader told the group.

“The immigrant crisis is part of the US imperialist project, and yet we treat immigrants to the experience of ICE,” said Landry, a Crown Heights tenant organizer and DSA member.

Plans discussed by the NYC DSA include mass mobilization to verify ICE sightings and confront agents directly.

“This has been in the past in New York specifically enough to deter ICE detentions,” said Marina, a Queens-based musician who performs under the name “Marina F” as part of the synth-pop duo The Observation Room and describes her sound as “sleazy, neon and queer.”

She explained that one tactic, known as “form a crowd, stay loud,” involves the coordinated use of rape whistles.

“If you’re interested in doing this kind of work, we can hook you up with whistles,” she said.

“We do have a lot of whistles,” added Leemah Nasrati, another organizer who works as a pro bono refugee attorney and leads the Q&A sessions at the DSA’s monthly “Know Your Rights” trainings, which are designed to explain “what the deal is with ICE.”

Members were told that different whistle patterns would be used to alert neighborhoods to ICE activity.

“The whistles carry far and wide,” Marina said.

Organizers said they have already been canvassing and patrolling immigrant neighborhoods including Chinatown, Bushwick, and Jackson Heights to recruit participants.

“There are more of us than them,” Nasrati said, directing attendees to join a private Signal chat that requires additional vetting before members can participate in the group’s “rapid response” actions.

The organizing push comes as ICE has more than doubled its staffing over the past year, with agents carrying out large-scale operations in major cities to arrest migrants living in the United States illegally or convicted of crimes. Following the Minnesota incident, a senior White House source said that “California and New York are next,” according to WIRED.

ICE said in December that a nationwide enforcement operation resulted in the arrest of criminal illegal migrants convicted of offenses including forcible rape, aggravated assault of a child, and strangulation.

“ICE law enforcement officers are sending criminal illegal aliens where they should have been all along – HOME for the holidays,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said at the time.

Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security announced plans to open a new ICE detention facility in Chester, about an hour north of New York City, with capacity to hold 1,500 illegal migrants.

The facility would more than double detention space in the region, which currently includes a single 1,000-bed ICE center in Newark that was reopened by the Trump administration last year.

Officials expect the expanded detention capacity to coincide with increased ICE enforcement activity throughout the New York City area.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu accused former prime ministers Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett of seeking to form a government with the Islamist United Arab List after the next election.

“The cat is out of the bag: proof that Lapid and Bennett will form a government with the Muslim Brotherhood,” Netanyahu tweeted, sharing an interview with United Arab List leader Mansour Abbas.

“Even if I’m the 61st [Knesset vote], yes, we will form a government. That’s my opinion,” Abbas, whose party is also known its Hebrew acronym, Ra’am, tells Israel’s Channel 12 News broadcaster in the interview.

Abbas, whose party served as a coalition partner in the Lapid-Bennett government that unseated Netanyahu between June 2021 and December 2022, said he hoped the former prime ministers would achieve a majority of 61 seats in the general election set to take place by Oct. 27.

“But if not, if we have a reality where we are going to elections again, and again have a government that won’t meet the needs of Arab citizens, I need to act so that a good government is formed,” the Arab politician concluded.

Abbas announced on Dec. 6 that he would cut ties to the Shura Council, a body linked to the Muslim Brotherhood-inspired Southern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, which has traditionally guided his decisions.

The announcement came a month after Netanyahu announced that he intends to ban the Muslim Brotherhood. The premier’s declaration followed a similar announcement by President Donald Trump.

Israeli opposition parties largely remained silent regarding the separation from the Shura Council. Right-wing politicians were more vocal, dismissing it outright, with Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich calling Abbas a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” who is seeking to “deceive the Israeli public.”

Asked in 2024 about his views of Hamas, Abbas said that the terrorists are “part of the Palestinian people.” He has also urged ending the recent war, claiming the Israel Defense Forces “murdered” 50,000 Gaza civilians.

Also in 2024, a probe by the Israeli Justice Ministry found evidence that entities controlled by the United Arab List “transferred funds or cooperated with organizations outside of Israel that were declared as terrorist groups.”

According to an investigation published in February 2024, Igatha 48 (“Aid 48”) transferred large sums to and carried out joint activities with a Turkish organization called Khir Ummah, which serves as a Hamas front group.

Igatha 48 serves as a fundraising arm of the Southern Branch of the Islamic Movement.

Between 2020 and 2023, Igatha 48 transferred more than $120,000 to Khir Ummah, and the two organizations hosted pro-terror summer camps for children in Turkey, the HaKol HaYehudi outlet reported.

The Tel Aviv District Court on April 8, 2024, rejected a request by Igatha 48 to unfreeze its accounts held at Israel’s Bank Leumi. During the court proceedings, lawyers for the Jewish state’s largest bank said the red flags surrounding the charity were “shocking.” The group acknowledged in court that 10 banks had refused to open accounts for it in the past.

In related news, Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz, who served as a defense minister under Lapid and Bennett, told Kan Reshet Bet on Sunday that he would be willing to join a Netanyahu government.

“I do not like Netanyahu and am not Netanyahu’s friend,” Gantz, a former IDF chief of staff, told the radio station. “I am a soldier of the State of Israel; if I am willing to die for the country, can I not sit [in a government] with Netanyahu?

“I am not willing to abandon the country to extremists or rely on the Arab parties,” added Gantz, who served as a member of Netanyahu’s War Cabinet following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorist attacks. JNS

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The United States “has no better friend than the State of Israel,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu in Yerushalayim on Sunday.

In a post on X, the American lawmaker said the sit-down with the leader of the Jewish state was “great” and came “at one of the most consequential moments in recent memory.”

Graham arrived in Israel on Jan. 16 for a trip focused on building “upon the momentum created by President Trump’s bold and unprecedented leadership in Iran, where he picked the people over the ayatollah.

“I just landed in Israel, the one and only Jewish State, and America’s strongest ally and friend since its founding,” the senator tweeted on Thursday, adding, “I look forward to meeting with our Israeli allies.

“The Trump-Netanyahu alliance has thus far been one of the strongest partnerships in the history of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and I am hopeful it will pay dividends in the near future,” Graham said.

Also on Sunday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar hosted the American at his office “for a fascinating discussion on regional and global challenges,” the minister said.

“Senator Graham is a true friend of Israel, with a unique contribution to the strengthening of the alliance between our countries. We’ll keep strengthening it!” tweeted Sa’ar following the meeting.

Senior figures in the chareidi parties are expressing confidence that the new military draft legislation being advanced by MK Boaz Bismuth, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, will clear its second and third readings in less than two weeks.

In closed-door conversations, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri and Degel HaTorah chairman Moshe Gafni have told associates that committee deliberations are expected to conclude within the coming week. After that, they believe the Knesset’s legal advisers will require only a few additional days to finalize the wording before the bill is brought to the plenum for final votes.

“One of the chareidi faction heads said last night, ‘Two weeks and this will be behind us. I don’t know what will happen on the judicial front, but as far as legislation in the Knesset goes — within two weeks we’re done.’”

According to the report, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has personally assured Deri and Gafni that he will deliver the necessary majority. “We will have 61 supporters. The law will pass,” Netanyahu reportedly told them, despite lingering doubts among some Knesset members that the coalition can indeed secure the votes.

If the law passes as planned, the chareidi parties are expected to back the state budget, paving the way for elections to be held on schedule in roughly a year — unless Netanyahu opts to move them up by several months.

At the same time, skepticism remains within the Knesset. Opponents argue that the coalition’s margin is razor-thin due to the expected opposition of Yitzchok Goldknopf, who is acting on the directive of the Chassidishe Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah. MKs Meir Porush and Yitzchok  Tessler are also expected to oppose the bill, along with four coalition lawmakers who have already pledged to vote against it. With the coalition hovering at 61 seats, a single additional defection could sink the legislation.

Meanwhile, legal advisers to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee continue to object to several core provisions of the Bismuth draft law. Those objections are expected to complicate the legislation’s defense against anticipated High Court petitions. The position of the Knesset’s legal adviser, attorney Sagit Afik, has not yet been made clear.

“If Afik comes out against the law, pushing it through at any cost would be a grave mistake — the damage would outweigh the benefit,” a senior Shas official involved in the drafting of the bill said.

{Matzav.com}

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Saturday that Democrats in the Senate will take action to stop President Trump’s newly announced tariffs on European countries, arguing the move would further harm the U.S. economy and strain relations with key allies.

“Donald Trump’s foolhardy tariffs have already driven up prices and damaged our economy and now he is only making things worse,” Schumer said in a statement. “It is incredible that he wants to double down on the stupidity by imposing tariffs on our closest allies for his quixotic quest to takeover Greenland.”

“Senate Democrats will introduce legislation to block these tariffs before they do further damage to the American economy and our allies in Europe,” he said.

Trump unveiled the new 10 percent tariffs earlier Saturday, tying them directly to his demand that the United States acquire Greenland. Writing on Truth Social, the president warned that “World Peace is at stake!” and said the tariffs would remain in place “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”

“China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it,” Trump wrote, reiterating his argument that the territory is critical to U.S. national security. “They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently. Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that!”

Trump has previously suggested the United States could take control of Greenland through military force, a notion that has drawn broad opposition from lawmakers in Washington and skepticism from much of the American public.

The tariff announcement also prompted criticism from members of Trump’s own party. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska both condemned the move, with Tillis saying the tariffs are “bad for America, bad for American businesses, and bad for America’s allies.”

Murkowski warned that the policy risks alienating European partners at a critical moment.

“We are already seeing the consequences of these measures in real time: our NATO allies are being forced to divert attention and resources to Greenland, a dynamic that plays directly into Putin’s hands by threatening the stability of the strongest coalition of democracies the world has ever seen,” she wrote on X.

In Europe, leaders signaled that the tariffs were already affecting broader economic relations. Officials announced that a major U.S.–European Union trade agreement celebrated last year by Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been put on hold. Von der Leyen said Saturday that tariffs “undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.”

“Territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law,” she wrote on X. “They are essential for Europe and for the international community as a whole. We have consistently underlined our shared transatlantic interest in peace and security in the Arctic, including through NATO. The pre-coordinated Danish exercise, conducted with allies, responds to the need to strengthen Arctic security and poses no threat to anyone.”

It remains uncertain whether European governments will respond with countermeasures. Karin Karlsboro, a Swedish member of the European Parliament, told Politico that lawmakers could consider deploying an anti-coercion instrument to impose penalties in response to Trump’s latest tariffs.

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York has increasingly trained her fire on Vice President Vance, a potential rival in a 2028 presidential contest, as speculation builds over whether she might seek the White House, The Hill reports.

Over the past week, Ocasio-Cortez has highlighted what she describes as a deep divide between her worldview and Vance’s, pointing to their sharply different reactions to the recent Minneapolis shooting. She has argued that Vance’s defense of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent involved reflects a vision of America she rejects.

“I understand that Vice President Vance believes that shooting a young mother of three in the face three times is an acceptable America that he wants to live in, and I do not,” she told a gaggle of reporters earlier this month.

“And that is a fundamental difference between Vice President Vance and I. I do not believe that the American people should be assassinated in the street.”

The congresswoman, widely known as AOC, is weighing her next political move. According to sources familiar with her thinking, she has not yet decided whether to pursue a Senate bid in New York — which could put her in a primary against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in 2028 — or to mount a national campaign for president. Still, her rhetoric and posture increasingly resemble that of a White House hopeful.

Democrats have taken note that Ocasio-Cortez is now regularly addressing issues that extend well beyond her district, touching on domestic and foreign matters alike, from developments in Venezuela to debates over health care subsidies. Many in the party see that as a sign she is positioning herself for a presidential run.

“The mini primary for 2028 has already begun and she’s in it. And people want her to be in it,” said Democratic strategist Hyma Moore. “She knows she has a chance to potentially run for president and be president so she doesn’t want to be caught unprepared.”

Her critiques of Vice President Vance, in particular, have moved to the forefront of her public messaging.

Earlier this week, she intensified those attacks after being asked about remarks from Vance suggesting that the woman killed in Minneapolis was a victim of her own ideology.

“As far as what a person like that believes, you have to start right there with the person you’re dealing with,” Ocasio-Cortez told The Independent’s Washington bureau chief Eric Garcia.

Last month, she also amplified attention around a poll conducted by The Argument/Verasight indicating she would narrowly defeat Vance in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, 51 percent to 49 percent, among registered voters.

“Bloop!” the congresswoman wrote on X, the social media platform, while sharing the poll.

Asked later about the survey, Ocasio-Cortez brushed off the question with humor.

“Let the record show: I would stomp him. I would stomp him!” she said, laughing, before walking away outside the Capitol.

Vance is widely viewed as the early frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028, though some within the party have floated Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a possible alternative. Last summer, President Trump said he would “most likely” back Vance with his endorsement.

At a Turning Point USA conference, Vance also received an early nod of support from Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Moore said Ocasio-Cortez is deliberately employing multiple lines of attack as she goes after the vice president.

“He’s the early GOP/MAGA frontrunner [and] no one else has formed a salient anti-Vance message,” Moore said. “She has to show she can really jump into the high-stakes political arena.”

Another Democratic strategist echoed that view, saying it is “pretty clear that there is a particular clarity that AOC speaks with when she is going after JD Vance.”

“She’s not just disagreeing with a political opinion, she’s offering a countering vision of the country,” the strategist said. “Hard to miss the foreshadowing of what 2028 could look like.”

Within Democratic circles, many believe Ocasio-Cortez would have a viable path if she entered a presidential primary.

She would likely emerge as the leading standard-bearer for the progressive wing of the party, a role previously occupied by Sen. Bernie Sanders during his challenges to Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez appeared together before large crowds across the country last year.

“It’s going to be a different cycle than the ones we’ve seen before because it’s not clear there will be strict [ideological] lanes,” said Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons, co-host of the Politicon podcast “Trailblaze,” which is dedicated to the 2028 race.

“However, the AOC-Bernie lane may be the most distinctive lane that exists,” Simmons said.

“If she runs, she will be a factor the same way Bernie was a factor because there is populist progressive hunger in the electorate,” he added. “And if Bernie passes the torch to AOC, she will be a phenomenon.”

At the same time, Democrats acknowledge that her toughest competition in a primary could come from California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who many in the party already regard as the leading contender for 2028.

Newsom has recently strengthened his standing with Democrats by aggressively challenging President Trump and by championing Proposition 50, the redistricting initiative that won voter approval in California in November.

Since that victory, Newsom has expanded a nationwide email list of Democratic supporters and continued to demonstrate his fundraising prowess, two assets that would immediately boost any presidential campaign.

Party insiders say Newsom currently stands in a class by himself in the 2028 field, though some privately speculate that Ocasio-Cortez could join him in that top tier.

“There is no one else on the list besides Newsom who has that x-factor, name ID, an ability to draw crowds, a natural communication style, a fundraising draw,” said a second Democratic strategist. “She is the only Democrat I can think of right now who has a path out of the primary.”

Even so, a presidential run would not be without hurdles for the 36-year-old lawmaker. Among the challenges frequently discussed is her age, as well as lingering unease among some Democrats about nominating another woman after the party’s defeats in 2016 and 2024, when Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris respectively headed the ticket.

“It’s something that comes up all the time,” one Democratic strategist said. “It’s very real.”

Before any of that, Ocasio-Cortez must first choose which race, if any, she will enter.

“I’ve always believed she’s far more likely to challenge Schumer for the Senate in 2028 than to run for president, but she obviously has the national profile for either,” said Democratic strategist Christy Setzer.

Setzer pointed to President Barack Obama, who faced criticism early on from skeptics who argued he lacked sufficient experience for a presidential run.

“As Obama’s advisers told him, you’re never fully ready to run for president, but if there’s an opening, you just have to grab it.”

As Moore summed it up, “She’s starting to lay the seeds.”

“She’s being very smart about positioning herself well,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

A longtime Israeli pastry chef was killed early Friday morning in a workplace accident at a South Florida kosher bakery, authorities said.

Mordechai Grunberger, 71, died after falling into an industrial dough-kneading machine at the bakery. Police said the circumstances are still under review, but investigators have found no evidence suggesting foul play.

Grunberger had made his home in Miami for more than two decades, where he was known for his work in the kosher baking industry.

His wife, Inna Gastman Moar, shared a heartfelt tribute on Facebook, mourning the sudden loss. “Today, my beloved husband Miki, my closest person in my life my best friend, and father of my two beautiful sons, tragically passed away!” she wrote. “I lost myself. I love him so much. He’s the love of my life!”

In an official statement, police said: “Police are investigating the death of a man at the South Florida Kosher Market. At this time, there are no indications of criminal activity, and the incident has been classified as an accident involving an industrial dough-mixing machine.”

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Telegrams, in English, by the Chief Rabbis of Israel, R. Isaac Herzog and R. Meir Chai Uziel, to world dignitaries and Mizrahi leaders in several countries seeking funds to facilitate the saving of the children from secular camps to religious institutions.

Yaldei Teheran became a world wide cry for the abuses of secular Zionist officials in charge of the religious Orthodox Polish children who were smuggled to Israel through Teheran and placed in secular co-ed camps.

Marriage medical document signed by R. Meir Abuhatzira, popularly called “Baba Meir” (10 Tevet 1917 – 17 Nissan 1983), was the oldest son and designated spiritual successor of the Baba Sali.

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MK Oded Forer of Yisrael Beiteinu spoke out sharply in an interview, declaring that there should be no exemptions from military service, including for elite talmidim of leading yeshivos such as Ponevezh Yeshiva and Chevron Yeshiva.

Speaking with Yossi Sergovski on the Davar Rishon program, Forer made clear that his party will not join a coalition with the chareidi parties, accusing them of promoting what he described as an anti-Zionist agenda. He also launched a harsh attack on Shas, branding it a “racist party,” and reiterated his demand that talmidim of Chevron and Ponevezh be drafted without quotas or caps.

“Medinas Yisrael is in a war over its very existence,” Forer said. “Every citizen holding a blue ID card must take part. It makes no difference whether he is chareidi or secular, Jewish or Muslim. Anyone fit for military service must serve.”

Forer rejected claims that the enlistment drive constitutes an attack on the Olam HaTorah. He acknowledged that Torah learning is a core value, but insisted it cannot replace participation in the national burden. “Anyone who thinks there are people who are more important than others is mistaken,” he said. “Talmidim in the Hesder yeshivos paid with their lives while learning Torah. That is a real kiddush Hashem.”

Responding to arguments that limited enlistment quotas would suffice, Forer dismissed the entire concept. “The whole discussion of quotas is wrong,” he said. “If anything, we should be talking about quotas for exemptions. Tzahal needs 15,000 soldiers right now. People are doing hundreds of days of miluim. This cannot go on.”

Addressing recent enlistment figures in the chareidi sector — including a single draft day in which more than 500 young men were inducted — Forer said the increase was the direct result of sanctions. “The rise in numbers comes from pressure,” he said. “But these are still very mild sanctions, and the government is avoiding full enforcement.”

Forer also sharply criticized the leadership of the chareidi parties, accusing them of failing to condemn extremist incidents. “When chareidi soldiers are attacked in Bnei Brak and there is no condemnation, it’s unacceptable,” he said. “They send them to fight, but don’t defend them at home.”

On the issue of canceling daycare subsidies for avreichim, Forer said economic policy based on incentives and sanctions has proven effective. “People respond to benefits and to limitations,” he said. “That was true in 2003, and it’s true today. This isn’t against the chareidim — it’s in favor of partnership.”

According to Forer, many younger chareidim already understand that change is needed. “After October 7, I saw young chareidim who wanted to take part,” he said. “The ones who aren’t there are the leaders, who prefer to preserve weakness.”

Later in the interview, Forer described United Torah Judaism and Shas as non-Zionist parties. “Parties that promote an anti-Zionist agenda cannot be partners in government. I do not sit with non-Zionist parties,” he said.

In closing, Forer emphasized that Yisrael Beiteinu will not join a government led by Bibi Netanyahu or by the chareidi factions. “There is a large Zionist majority in this country,” he said. “I hope the next government will be formed on the basis of a clear Zionist agenda.”

{Matzav.com}

A leadership development took place Thursday night within the Satmar Chassidus, as the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, formally appointed his son, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, to serve as rov of Kiryas Yetev Lev–Bloomingburg.

The appointment was announced during a special gathering held at the Rebbe’s residence in Williamsburg.

Bloomingburg, located in Sullivan County, New York, is home to a growing Satmar community.

With this designation, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum will assume responsibility for the community’s rabbinic leadership, including halachic guidance and oversight of communal affairs.

Rav Aharon is a son-in-law of Rav Eliezer Menachem Mendel Meisels, Av Beis Din of Neimark.

Following the announcement, participants gathered for a l’chaim attended by family members and prominent figures from the Satmar community.

{Matzav.com}

Texas hospitals incurred more than $1 billion in medical expenses for treating illegal immigrants during fiscal year 2025, marking the first year the state formally collected and compiled such data.

Records assembled by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and obtained by Texas Scorecard show that hospitals reported 313,742 patient visits connected to individuals not legally present in the country, with total costs reaching $1.05 billion by the close of the fiscal year.

Although Texas’ fiscal year spans from September 1 through August 31, hospitals were not required to begin submitting reports until November. Using the available figures, the costs average roughly $105 million per month, suggesting that the full-year financial burden may be substantially higher than what was officially recorded.

When viewed in the context of the state budget, the hospital expenses alone amount to nearly 1% of Texas’ tax-supported funds.

The data collection stems from an executive order signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in August 2024, which required the state to monitor hospital usage by “individuals not lawfully present” in the United States. Under the directive, Texas hospitals were instructed to provide quarterly reports to the health agency detailing inpatient discharges, emergency room visits, and associated costs tied to patients without legal status.

Texas, which shares a long border with Mexico, experienced some of the highest illegal border crossing levels ever seen during the Biden administration, placing enormous strain on the state’s healthcare infrastructure, Abbott press secretary Andrew Mahaleris previously told Fox News Digital.

According to the report, the single largest category of spending involved inpatient discharges for patients who were not covered by Medicaid or CHIP, totaling $565.4 million across 40,947 discharges. CHIP, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, is a joint federal and state initiative that offers affordable health coverage to children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.

Emergency room visits by non-Medicaid and non-CHIP patients generated an additional $205.5 million in costs, the data shows.

Patients who were enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP also accounted for major expenditures, including $255.3 million related to inpatient discharges and another $24.3 million tied to emergency department visits.

For fiscal year 2025, hospitals initially submitted data only for November 2024, reporting 30,743 visits with costs exceeding $102 million, according to state figures.

Later submissions showed that the financial toll remained consistently high. From December 2024 through February 2025, hospitals logged 149,619 visits costing $330.8 million.

Between March and May 2025, reported expenses totaled $319.3 million, followed by another $298.3 million in costs from June through August 2025.

{Matzav.com}

Talik and Itzik Gvili, the parents of Ran Gvili, responded overnight to the White House announcement regarding the establishment of a “Peace Council” for Gaza, expressing anguish and disbelief as they continue to wait for their son’s return.

In a statement released following the announcement, the parents wrote: “While we are standing here waiting for Ran to be brought back, a Peace Council for phase two is being formed. How can anyone think about phase two? What kind of peace is this? Peace for whom? Peace for those who refuse to return our son, despite being obligated by the agreement, despite promises from Israel, from the mediators, and from the President of the United States?”

Ran Gvili is the last remaining hostage casualty still being held in the Gaza Strip.

At the conclusion of their statement, the parents issued a direct plea to decision-makers, writing: “To everyone who has a hand in this — as a father and mother, we beg you: do not allow this to happen. Do not leave our Rani behind and bury us together with him.”

Earlier, President Donald Trump announced on his social media platform, Truth Social, the creation of a “Peace Council” that would operate under the framework of an international peace conference. Trump said the full composition of the council would be revealed soon, but described it as “the most prestigious council ever formed,” including kings, presidents, and prime ministers.

The announcement triggered unusual tension between Israel and the United States. The Prime Minister’s Office sharply criticized Trump’s declaration regarding the Peace Council, which is intended to oversee governance in the Gaza Strip, saying the move was made without prior coordination with Jerusalem.

In an official statement, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu instructed the foreign minister to urgently contact the U.S. secretary of state to convey Israel’s opposition to the initiative. According to the statement, the American announcement “does not align with Israel’s policy” and could have implications for Israel’s security and strategic considerations.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz joins ‘Fox News Live’ to weigh in on President Donald Trump’s push to secure Greenland and potential military action in Iran.

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