Matzav

New findings from the scene appear to contradict the IDF’s initial denial regarding the activities of two female soldiers who were attacked in Bnei Brak, with reports indicating that recruitment flyers were in fact distributed at several addresses in the city.

A disturbance broke out Sunday afternoon in Bnei Brak after two female soldiers arrived at multiple locations in the city. According to a report on Army Radio, despite an earlier statement from the IDF Spokesperson denying any flyer distribution, detailed recruitment leaflets were left at at least four addresses. The materials were directed at candidates for military service ahead of their upcoming enlistment at the Chavat HaShomer base.

In a response, the IDF Spokesperson firmly rejected the claims, stating: “The claim that the commanders who were attacked in Bnei Brak arrived in order to distribute recruitment flyers is incorrect. The commanders arrived for a home visit to a candidate for service prior to his enlistment.”

However, documentation from the scene indicates that the flyers addressed prospective recruits scheduled to enlist in March and included extensive information about training conditions, the base’s location, and a list of required equipment — ranging from personal hygiene items to instructions on arranging a bank account and redeeming purchase credits.

The flyer left at the homes also contained detailed social and financial information intended to ease the enlistment process, including guidance related to personal status and eligibility for assistance. Among other things, the young men were asked to prepare medical documentation for family members, proof of financial status, and bank statements from the previous three months.

The unrest began after rumors spread that the soldiers had arrived to distribute draft orders to chareidi youths. The incident escalated on Chaggai Street during the afternoon hours.

Subsequently, the IDF updated its version of events, stating that three female non-commissioned officers serving at the Chavat HaShomer base had come to Bnei Brak to visit a candidate who is expected to enlist soon and serve at the facility. According to the military, the visit was intended as a preliminary meeting to establish familiarity and assess any potential need for social support.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs on Monday outlined a firm diplomatic and security position regarding Gaza, declaring that Israel will not tolerate continued Hamas rearmament and setting a 60-day deadline for the terror group to fully disarm.

Speaking at the Besheva Conference, Fuchs said Hamas must dismantle “all” of its weapons within two months. If it fails to do so, he warned, Israel will take military action.

“Hamas must disarm from all its weapons — everything. If that does not happen, the IDF will be required to ensure that it does,” Fuchs stated. He made clear that absent full disarmament, Israel would resume large-scale military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Addressing the recent unrest in Bnei Brak connected to the ongoing draft law crisis, Fuchs sought to lower the public rhetoric. He argued that the current tensions stem from the expiration of previous legal arrangements and emphasized that for years there had been an agreed-upon framework regulating the status of yeshiva students.

“If we label a ציבור of one and a half million people as criminals, we will push it toward extremism,” he said, adding that in his view the situation reflects a legal vacuum rather than a failure of governance.

Fuchs also commented on negotiations surrounding the draft law, noting that efforts are underway to formulate a version that will receive the backing of the Knesset’s legal advisers, in order to prevent an interim injunction that could freeze the legislation upon passage.

He indicated that from the coalition’s standpoint, a central objective is for the chareidi factions to actively support the bill, as part of a broad agreement that would ensure both its legal durability and political stability.

When asked whether Israel might one day return to reestablish Jewish communities in Gush Katif, which were evacuated under the 2005 Disengagement Plan, Fuchs responded briefly: “With Hashem’s help.”

President Trump said Monday that anyone responsible for abducting Nancy Guthrie must ensure her safe return or face what he described as the toughest possible federal punishment.

Speaking in a brief phone interview with The NY Post, Trump made clear that if the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie is killed, he would expect the Justice Department to pursue capital punishment.

He stated that those behind the Feb. 1 kidnapping from her home outside Tucson would face “very, very severe — the most severe” federal consequences if she is found dead.

When asked directly whether that meant the Department of Justice would seek the death penalty, Trump responded: “The most, yeah — that’s true.”

On Feb. 4, the president personally called Savannah Guthrie to offer federal support in the investigation. The FBI later obtained disturbing images and video showing a masked individual at the front door of the suburban residence.

Trump has largely refrained from making public comments about the case while authorities continue an intensive search for the elderly mother of three, whom investigators believe could still be alive.

In an effort to locate her, law enforcement officials conducted aerial searches over the desert terrain during the weekend, using specialized Bluetooth technology designed to detect a signal from Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker.

Federal charges are frequently pursued in prominent criminal cases, especially when state lines may be involved or when federal laws are implicated. Although Arizona maintains the death penalty, many of the 109 prisoners currently on the state’s death row have remained there for decades.

Since 2022, Arizona has carried out only two executions, partly due to a nearly two-year suspension ordered by the Democrat-led state government, which was lifted in late 2024.

Separately, the federal government has authority to seek capital punishment and typically reserves it for the most high-profile crimes, including the cases of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Pittsburgh synagogue shooter Robert Bowers, and racist mass murderer Dylann Roof.

Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 inmates on federal death row, leaving Tsarnaev, Bowers, and Roof excluded from that action. Trump officials have indicated they intend to transfer the remaining federal death row inmates to a federal supermax facility, where they would serve their sentences under strict conditions.

Israeli state prosecutors on Monday filed an indictment against a 32-year-old northern Israeli man accused of collecting intelligence on former defense minister Yoav Gallant at the direction of an Iranian operative.

According to court documents, Fares Abu al-Hija was detained in late January after he allegedly photographed streets surrounding Gallant’s residence in Amikam and transmitted the images to his handler. Authorities say the surveillance was carried out at the handler’s request.

Police and the Shin Bet security service said in a joint announcement that Abu al-Hija is a resident of the Galilee village of Kaukab Abu al-Hija, located roughly an hour north of Gallant’s home.

Investigators believe the suspect initially connected with the Iranian operative last August through the Telegram messaging platform while seeking employment opportunities. The indictment states that the contact was made under the guise of work.

From October through January, Abu al-Hija is said to have fulfilled a series of assignments from the individual, who identified himself as “Martin,” despite harboring suspicions that he was dealing with a foreign intelligence agent.

Prosecutors allege that the assignments included purchasing mobile phones and chargers, concealing them in various spots around Haifa, activating the devices, installing communication applications, documenting their hiding places, and relaying those details back to his handler. He was also instructed to deliver an envelope containing the password to a cryptocurrency account to a site in Zichron Yaakov and to photograph a cafe in Tel Aviv.

The indictment states that Abu al-Hija received payment in cryptocurrency for carrying out the missions. For capturing photos and videos of the Tel Aviv cafe, he was paid $1,000 in digital currency.

In January, the suspect was reportedly directed to document Gallant’s home. Authorities arrested him at the scene shortly after he transmitted the images.

An indictment was filed in the Haifa District Court charging Abu al-Hija with contact with a foreign agent. Prosecutors have asked the court to keep him in custody through the duration of the proceedings.

Gallant served as defense minister from 2022 to 2024 before being dismissed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid political disagreements. Earlier in his career, he commanded the Israel Defense Forces Southern Command.

In their statement, police and the Shin Bet warned that Iran has stepped up attempts to recruit Israelis to conduct espionage activities within the country.

Law enforcement “takes a very serious view of any involvement in such activities and will continue to bring to justice those involved in harming the country’s security and its citizens,” they said.

Officials noted that over the past two years, dozens of Israelis have faced espionage charges linked to Iran. In many instances, recruitment efforts were carried out through social media platforms, particularly Telegram.

{Matzav.com}

A heated exchange erupted in the Knesset ahead of a no-confidence vote, as Opposition Leader Yair Lapid charged that the assault on two IDF servicewomen in Bnei Brak reflects a broader pattern under the current government, while Deputy Minister Yisrael Eichler accused the opposition of fueling dangerous incitement against the chareidi community.

Taking the podium before the vote, Lapid argued that the violence in Bnei Brak was not a one-time occurrence but part of a recurring trend. “What we saw yesterday in Bnei Brak is not an isolated phenomenon. It happens time and time again under this government. You are permitting [the shedding of] the blood of the IDF. You are against the IDF. This isn’t just happening in Bnei Brak,” he says, pointing as well to incidents involving settlers confronting IDF troops in the West Bank.

Lapid dismissed the coalition’s portrayal of itself as staunchly right-wing. “This government keeps saying that it’s completely right-wing. You’re not completely right-wing, you’re not right-wing at all. You’re a government that exists thanks to anti-Zionist parties, who are against conscription into the IDF, whose public is trying to lynch female soldiers and flips over police cars,” Lapid says.

In response to the opposition’s no-confidence motions, Eichler of United Torah Judaism rejected the criticism and instead accused lawmakers on the other side of stoking hostility toward his community. He warned that such rhetoric carries serious consequences.

“The incitement during no-confidence motions on the Knesset stage regarding ‘chareidi draft evasion’ is dangerous and intended to legitimize state violence,” he says.

Eichler further contended that statements urging authorities to confront chareidim as they would terrorists amount to a “license for bloodshed. Recently, two chareidi youths have already been killed by bus strikes during demonstrations.”

He cautioned that failing to push back against such language could escalate tensions even further. “If we do not fight against this incitement, it will continue to get worse, heaven forbid. This is how civil wars begin, and one can never know when or how they will end,” Eichler says.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s Supreme Court will convene a panel of justices to consider whether Yoaz Hendel’s political faction may officially register under the name “The Reservists,” after Justice David Mintz agreed to review a petition filed by a group of combat reservists, Arutz Sheva reports.

The case was brought by the Israeli Reservists – Generation of Victory movement, whose members argue that adopting the name “The Reservists” for a political party improperly exploits the Israel Defense Forces and reserve service for electoral gain. They contend that linking the identity of reservists to a specific political list amounts to a misuse of the military’s standing in Israeli society.

In a statement, the movement declared: “Reserve duty is the holy of holies of Israeli society, especially after the events of October 7th. The reservists are not a political brand and not the property of any politician. This name belongs to us all, from the right and from the left, and we can not allow any party paint our uniform with politics.”

The group also welcomed the high court’s involvement, stating: “We commend the Supreme Court’s decision to discuss this fundamental issue that will determine if the IDF remains outside of the political playing field.”

The legal dispute traces back several months, when the movement formally petitioned the Registrar of Political Parties to reject the proposed party name. In its submission, the group argued that “the name of the party constitutes part of the election propaganda in itself, and aims to send a message. The name that was approved for the party misuses the IDF.”

The movement further maintained that “this use harms the IDF’s neutrality and misleads the public. It seems as if reservists have united under his party. The approval of the party under this name violates the public policy, as it is prohibited propaganda.”

The forthcoming hearing will address whether the use of the name “The Reservists” crosses legal boundaries by implying institutional endorsement from members of the reserve forces and whether it undermines the principle that the military must remain outside partisan politics.

A newly signed agreement between the government and the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council in the West Bank could pave the way for what critics and supporters alike describe as the first effective expansion of Yerushalayim beyond its post-1967 boundaries, pending final approvals, Times of Israel reports.

The project, unveiled earlier this month, is formally defined as a westward extension of the Adam settlement, located near Yerushalayim’s northeastern edge. The blueprint calls for approximately 2,780 housing units to be constructed as a new “neighborhood” of Adam.

Despite that designation, the proposed site is geographically detached from Adam itself. Route 437, a major roadway, separates the two areas, as does the security barrier, creating a physical divide between the existing community and the planned development.

By contrast, the new neighborhood would share closer territorial continuity with Neve Yaakov, an East Yerushalayim neighborhood situated within the city’s municipal borders, than with Adam.

Although the project would not officially fall under Yerushalayim’s municipal jurisdiction and would remain administratively tied to Adam, officials from the Peace Now organization contend that the development would likely receive at least some municipal services from Yerushalayim.

The construction is slated for 500 dunams of land positioned between the Palestinian towns of Hizma and Al-Ram. The government is expected to allocate roughly NIS 120 million ($39 million) for infrastructure, public facilities, and communal institutions necessary for the neighborhood’s establishment.

The proposal has not yet been submitted to the Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Committee, meaning that final authorization could still take up to two years. Nonetheless, the Housing Ministry confirmed that 500 housing units have already been marketed as part of the initial construction phase.

“The agreement constitutes a significant step in continuing the development of the settlement and strengthening the settlement continuity in the area, while providing a response to the demand for housing in and around Yerushalayim, and integrating a phased and balanced planning of new neighborhoods alongside the existing fabric,” the Housing and Construction Ministry said in a statement on February 3 announcing the development.

Peace Now, which opposes settlement expansion, argued that the plan amounts to de facto annexation and represents an unprecedented enlargement of Yerushalayim’s footprint.

After Israel captured East Jerusalem and the West Bank during the 1967 Six Day War, the Knesset and relevant ministries formally redrew the capital’s boundaries to include formerly Jordanian-held East Jerusalem. Since then, neighborhoods built by Israel in East Jerusalem — widely viewed internationally as settlements — have been developed within those expanded municipal lines.

“This is the first time since 1967 that Yerushalayim has been expanded into the West Bank,” asserted Peace Now.

“Under the pretext of a new settlement, the government is carrying out a backdoor annexation here. The new settlement will function for all intents and purposes as a neighborhood of the city of Yerushalayim, and its planning as a ‘neighborhood’ of the Adam settlement is just an excuse and an attempt to conceal the move, the implication of which is the application of Israeli sovereignty to territories in the West Bank,” it said.

MK Gilad Kariv of the Democrats party also criticized the initiative, calling it “another unprecedented act of annexation that draws us closer to an explosion in the West Bank.”

Kariv said he had contacted Housing and Construction Minister Chaim Katz regarding “the plan to expand Yerushalayim over the Green Line and to de facto annex territory,” warning, “Annexation will bring about a security catastrophe.”

In contrast, Mateh Binyamin Regional Council chairman Yisroel Ganz welcomed the agreement, characterizing it as “the realization of the settlement vision” for the area.

“The new plan will allow us to build thousands of housing units, while at the same time dramatically upgrading the quality of life of the residents,” said Ganz, adding that his council is “already working on additional agreements” that will “herald dramatic change on the ground.”

All 26 individuals detained following Sunday’s unrest in Bnei Brak have now been released after multiple courts ordered suspects freed to house arrest and attorneys accused police of carrying out unnecessary “show arrests.”

The Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court ruled that two men taken into custody during the disturbances would be placed under house arrest for five days. Judge Ravit Peleg Bar Dayan found there was reasonable suspicion that one of the suspects had assaulted a police officer, although she noted the level of suspicion was not particularly strong. She also determined there was reasonable suspicion that the second suspect had assaulted an officer and taken part in an unlawful assembly.

In a separate proceeding, the Bat Yam Juvenile Court ordered the release to house arrest of four additional suspects who had been arrested in connection with the clashes. About 20 other detainees were freed last night, meaning that every person apprehended during the protests has since been released.

Attorneys Shlomo Haddad and Itai Cohen, who are representing several of those detained, sharply criticized law enforcement’s actions. “Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, these were show arrests. Minors and adults alike were forcefully pulled into police vehicles, seemingly with the intent of creating a deterrent and awareness effect, not due to real suspicion of a crime.”

They continued, “Most of the detainees are bystanders who did not participate in the events and did not commit any offenses. We strongly condemn the handling of the situation and will assert our clients’ rights fully within the legal proceedings.”

The confrontation began Sunday afternoon when two female soldiers from the Education Corps, stationed at the Havat Shomer base, arrived in the city to visit the home of a young man scheduled to enlist in the coming weeks. Onlookers reportedly assumed the women were military police officers delivering draft papers.

A crowd soon formed around the soldiers, attempting to get close to them. Police units dispatched to the area removed the soldiers from the scene. During the effort to disperse the gathering, three police officers were hurt and required medical treatment.

Even after the soldiers were evacuated, the disorder continued. Demonstrators overturned a police vehicle and set a police motorcycle ablaze.

Police said stones were hurled at officers amid the violence and noted that the torched motorcycle contained tefillin and a prayer book. The Police Commissioner directed officers to respond with zero tolerance and to track down those responsible for the rioting.

[COMMUNICATED]

Lakewood, NJ – February 15, 2026 – CHEMED Health, the region’s leader in community-based healthcare, hosted its annual Medical and Ethics Conference, drawing more than 1,000 participants, including physicians, nurses, medical students, rabbanim, and healthcare leaders for an intensive, multi-day gathering exploring the intersection of medicine, ethics, and Halacha.

The conference opened Thursday evening with an inspiring keynote lecture by Rav Sholom Kamenetsky, titled “AI, Autonomy, and Halacha: How Jewish Law Approaches the Future of Decision Making.” His address set the tone for a program focused on navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of modern medicine through the lens of timeless ethical and Torah-based principles.

Over the course of the conference, attendees participated in 52 lectures featuring prominent rabbinic authorities, academic leaders, and medical professionals. Notable presenters included Rabbi Doctor Aaron E. Glatt, Rabbi Dr. Dovid Katz, Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz, Rav Professor Avrohom Steinberg, and Dr. Isaac Schechter, among many others, who addressed a wide range of clinical, ethical, and policy-related topics shaping contemporary healthcare practice.

On Motzei Shabbos, a highlight of the conference was a special question-and-answer session with Rav Asher Weiss שליט״א, who traveled from Eretz Yisroel for the occasion. Rav Weiss opened his remarks with warm and effusive praise for CHEMED and for Dr. Dovid Friedman’s leadership and vision before engaging attendees in an in-depth discussion of complex medical halachic scenarios, offering guidance that reflected both rigorous scholarship and real-world clinical sensitivity.

The conference concluded with a major announcement from Dr. Dovid Friedman, CEO of CHEMED, who, together with the Medical Village development team, presented a comprehensive vision for CHEMED’s next chapter through a special video unveiling of The Medical Village – a transformative outpatient healthcare campus designed to redefine coordinated care for the region.

The Medical Village represents CHEMED’s most ambitious initiative to date – a first-of-its-kind, fully integrated outpatient campus that will bring more than 50 medical specialties together under one coordinated system. The campus will include primary care, pediatric and adult subspecialties, dental services, behavioral health, women’s health, advanced diagnostic radiology, an ambulatory surgery center, and a standalone emergency department, all designed to provide seamless, high-level care within a single environment.

“For nearly two decades, CHEMED has been committed to expanding access to quality care,” said Dr. Friedman. “The Medical Village reflects our next step forward – building a future-ready healthcare model that integrates specialty medicine, academic training, and coordinated care delivery to serve our rapidly growing community.”

Beyond its clinical scope, the campus will also feature dedicated educational space for medical students and residents, strengthening training opportunities and advancing the level of academic medicine in the region.

With record attendance, a robust educational program, and the unveiling of a transformative healthcare initiative, this year’s conference underscored CHEMED’s dual commitment: advancing medical excellence while grounding healthcare delivery in enduring ethical and community-centered values.

Major traffic disruptions were reported this afternoon after dozens of members of extremist factions staged demonstrations at several locations, including the entrance to Yerushalayim, the Beit Shemesh area, and near Modiin Illit.

According to reports and eyewitness documentation, demonstrators blocked Route 38 heading toward Yerushalayim, bringing traffic to a halt. At the same time, additional attempts were made to obstruct the main entrance to the capital.

The protests follow the unrest that took place yesterday in Bnei Brak. In the past hour, groups affiliated with the extremist factions gathered at key junctions leading into Yerushalayim, as well as in the Beit Shemesh region and adjacent to Modiin Illit.

Netivei Israel stated that Route 443 has been closed in both directions between the entrance to the Modiin industrial zone and the Maccabim-Reut junction due to preparations for a demonstration. Localized traffic congestion has been reported in the area.

Israel Police said that officers from the Yerushalayim District, together with Border Police forces, are operating at the protest sites along Route 38 and at the entrance to Yerushalayim. Authorities reported that at both locations, demonstrators blocked roads by standing in the lanes of traffic, disrupting vehicles and preventing passage. Police are working to clear the roads and disperse those involved in the disturbances.

Earlier in the day, all individuals arrested yesterday in Bnei Brak on suspicion of involvement in the riots were released.

{Matzav.com}

Yisrael Beiteinu chairman MK Avigdor Leiberman delivered sharp criticism following the disturbances in Bnei Brak yesterday, labeling those involved as “terrorists” and holding the chareidi leadership responsible. Speaking in a Monday morning interview on 103FM, he said the government had pledged to restore order but instead allowed chaos to take root.

“They promised us governance and we got lawlessness. Yesterday, terrorists attacked female soldiers in the heart of Bnei Brak. They are not Jews, they are not citizens – they are terrorists, plain and simple,” Leiberman said. He asked how security forces would have reacted had a comparable assault taken place in Gush Etzion or along the Lebanon border, arguing that the situation revealed what he sees as unequal enforcement.

Responding to reports that police had not been informed in advance about the soldiers’ entry into the city, Leiberman said, “We are eroding reality in a way that sometimes makes you want to pinch yourself. I heard people in the Israel Police say, ‘Their entry into Bnei Brak was not coordinated with us.’ This is the center of the country – what coordination? Soldiers cannot be restricted from entering key areas like Ramat Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, or Mea Shearim. This is unacceptable. It is not a fringe issue; unfortunately, this is the central leadership.”

Leiberman directed his strongest criticism at leading rabbinic and political figures within the chareidi world. He cited Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, who publicly urged followers to tear up draft notices and “flush them down the toilet,” as well as Moshe Hillel Hirsch, who described draft evasion as a religious obligation. He also pointed to statements by United Torah Judaism head Goldberg, who compared military service to wearing a “yellow badge.” “They care only about power, respect, and money for themselves. The chareidi public is held hostage; we need to rescue them,” Leiberman said.

He further warned that many young chareidim lack preparation for gainful employment because they are not taught core subjects such as English, mathematics, and computer skills, leaving them reliant on stipends and communal support. “Along with the charity and the allowance, they will also get a voting slip. They only care about themselves; their public doesn’t matter to them,” Leiberman said.

Making his political stance unmistakably clear, Leiberman ruled out participation in any future governing coalition that includes chareidi parties. “God forbid. The chareidi parties must move to the opposition for at least two terms. The extortion by the chareidi parties has crossed every line; we can no longer subsidize it.” He added that the makeup of the next government would depend on whether voters align with what he described as the camp of those who serve versus the camp of draft evaders. “If we go with a clear bloc strategy, I see at least 63 mandates,” he said.

On the security front, Leiberman called for the immediate deployment of two Border Police battalions to Bnei Brak. “Every time draft dodgers are arrested, they are released through a revolving door. This lawlessness cannot continue when we are building a state within a state. Blocking Jabotinsky Road, the main artery of Gush Dan, is unbearable. It threatens national resilience and unity. When there is draft dodging, there is no unity,” he concluded.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu on Sunday reiterated his doubts regarding the possibility of any deal with Iran, which he said must include the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, and not just stopping uranium enrichment.

His comments came ahead of a second round of U.S.-Iranian talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, and amid a major American military buildup in the region which is still underway.

“I will not hide from you that I express my skepticism of any deal with Iran, because, frankly, Iran is reliable on one thing: they lie, and they cheat,” Netanyahu said in a keynote speech to the annual gathering of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem.

In his first public address after meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington last week, the Israeli leader said that any agreement must remove all enriched nuclear material from Iran, dismantle its enrichment infrastructure, curb its ballistic missile program and dismantle the axis of terror that Tehran has built across the region.

“There shall be no enrichment capability—not stopping the enrichment process, but dismantling the equipment and the infrastructure that allows you to enrich in the first place,” he said.

Gaza

Turning to Gaza, Netanyahu said that in the second stage of Trump’s peace plan, Hamas must be disarmed of some 60,000 AK-47 assault rifles it still possesses, which, he noted, were the primary weapon used during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.

At the same time, Israel must “complete the job” of demilitarizing Gaza by dismantling its vast network of tunnels—which the terror group built up for years across the coastal strip. About 150 kilometers (93 miles) of an estimated 500 kilometers (311 miles) of tunnels have been destroyed to date.

“We’re giving the president’s plan a chance,” said Netanyahu. “And he put it very succinctly. He said it can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way. We hope that it will be done the easy way, because we know the ravages of war. We know what it means to lose people, we know the human cost of war, but that goal has to be achieved, one way or the other, and one way or the other, it will be achieved.”

Economy

Despite the two-year war, Netanyahu highlighted Israel’s booming economy, citing an Economist survey that found Israel had the third most vibrant economy in the OECD, and highlighting the record highs of the Israeli stock market, as well as the 30-year high the Israeli shekel has reached against the dollar.

He noted that growing ties between Israel and a string of countries across Latin America, singling out special praise for Argentina under the leadership of Javier Milei, and also noting that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was due in Israel next week to further expand burgeoning bilateral relations.

He added that Israel was a leading power in cyber technology, which has attracted vast foreign investment, and intends to reach the same heights in partnership with the United States in artificial intelligence and quantum technologies.

“Israel is a very strong country coming out of the war… economically, militarily, and technologically, and we intend to be a lot stronger,” he said. JNS

As preparations move forward for Phase B of President Donald Trump’s Gaza reconstruction initiative, Hamas has introduced a new condition: it wants to preserve its control over the Gaza Strip while continuing to function as a political body.

Israeli officials have conveyed an unequivocal position to Washington, stating that they will not tolerate any arrangement in which Hamas plays a part in administering Gaza. Jerusalem has also clarified that it will not enter into political or financial agreements if the terror group remains embedded within Gaza’s governing framework.

According to a report by Kan News, Hamas is unwilling to hand over authority to the technocratic body formed to oversee Gaza’s civilian management. Instead, the organization prefers to stay in charge of the territory, even if that means agreeing to only a limited disarmament.

The report further indicated that Hamas has been in contact with several Arab governments, signaling its interest in a model similar to Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon — maintaining political influence while simultaneously retaining military power on the ground.

Speaking Sunday evening at the opening gala of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined Israel’s objectives in the ongoing war. He said the country’s three primary aims were to “return the hostages, disarm and dismantle Hamas military capabilities, and third dismantle Hamas governing capabilities. The first has been achieved.”

Netanyahu emphasized the urgency of removing Hamas’s weapons, stating, “Hamas must give up its weapons. The weapon that does the most damage is the AK-47. Assault weapons. There are 60,000 such weapons, they must go.”

He continued by detailing Israel’s broader security goals: “First disarm Hamas. Second, demilitarize Gaza. We dismantled about 150 km of 500 km of tunnels. We’re giving the President’s plan a chance. It can be done the easy or hard way. We hope the easy way. Because we know the human cost of war. But that goal must be achieved. And one way or another it will be.

“Gaza will not pose a threat ever again to the State of Israel,” Netanyahu declared.

Iran is prepared to explore concessions in its nuclear negotiations with the United States, but only if Washington is willing to put sanctions relief on the table, according to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi.

In remarks aired Sunday in an interview with the BBC, Takht-Ravanchi stressed that meaningful progress depends on the United States demonstrating genuine intent to reach an agreement.

“The ball is in America’s court to prove that they want to do a deal,” Takht-Ravanchi told the British broadcaster. “If they are sincere, I’m sure we will be on the road to an agreement.”

His comments come as the two countries prepare for another round of talks and against a backdrop of heightened tensions. The United States has expanded its military footprint in the Middle East, and officials have warned that military action remains an option if diplomacy fails to rein in Iran’s nuclear program.

President Donald Trump has previously cautioned that Iran could face strikes and ordered an increased American military presence in the region following Tehran’s deadly suppression of anti-government demonstrations that reportedly left thousands dead.

Another session of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear activities is scheduled to take place Tuesday in Geneva. Takht-Ravanchi characterized the initial discussions as “more or less in a positive direction,” while emphasizing that it is “too early to judge.”

A central dispute in the talks involves Iran’s accumulation of uranium enriched to 60 percent purity — a level approaching weapons-grade material and one that has intensified international concern about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Takht-Ravanchi indicated that Iran is open to addressing its enriched uranium reserves, but only within a broader framework that includes lifting sanctions.

“We are ready to discuss this and other issues related to our program if they are ready to talk about sanctions,” he told the BBC.

When asked whether Iran might again transfer enriched uranium abroad — as it did under the 2015 nuclear agreement that Trump exited in 2018 — Takht-Ravanchi declined to make any commitments, saying, “It is too early to say what will happen in the course of negotiations.”

Tehran has consistently insisted that discussions remain limited to nuclear matters. Takht-Ravanchi explained that Iran believes Washington now recognizes that narrowing the focus is essential to reaching a deal. “Our understanding is that they have come to the conclusion that if you want to have a deal you have to focus on the nuclear issue.” He suggested this marks a departure from earlier U.S. demands that Iran halt all enrichment — a position Tehran argues violates its rights under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Takht-Ravanchi also reaffirmed that Iran will not negotiate over its ballistic missile arsenal. The United States has pressed for missile restrictions, citing concerns shared by Israel, which views Iran’s missile program as a significant security threat. Defending Iran’s stance, he said, “When we were attacked by Israelis and Americans, our missiles came to our rescue so how can we accept depriving ourselves of our defensive capabilities?”

Although he voiced guarded hope that diplomacy could succeed, Takht-Ravanchi acknowledged lingering mistrust, pointing to what he described as inconsistent messaging from Washington, especially comments from Trump about regime change. “We are hearing that they are interested in negotiations… but we are not hearing that in the private messages,” he said.

He warned that a new armed conflict would have severe repercussions across the region. “If we feel this is an existential threat, we will respond accordingly.”

Even with tensions running high, Takht-Ravanchi maintained that Iran remains committed to pursuing a negotiated outcome. “We will do our best but the other side also has to prove that they are also sincere,” he concluded.

The IDF now believes that Hamas’s military wing used a string of emojis as the coded order to initiate the October 7 massacre. The conclusion was reached after Israeli forces examined mobile phones taken from Nukhba terrorists during the assault.

Security officials said the same emoji combination discovered on those devices had appeared in two earlier episodes — in September 2022 and again in April 2023 — when Hamas had been preparing major attacks that were ultimately called off.

Investigators determined that in the hours leading up to the invasion of Israeli communities near the Gaza border, a prearranged message was distributed to operatives through WhatsApp. Only after reviewing the intelligence did it become evident that this message was the cue for militants to head to mosques and ready themselves for the operation.

According to the assessment, once the message was received, the terrorists gathered either at mosques or at other predetermined meeting locations, where commanders issued final instructions.

From there, some made their way to underground compounds to collect combat equipment, while others went to weapons depots, put on uniforms and tactical vests, and armed themselves with firearms and additional supplies.

The IDF stated that during the two prior instances in which the identical emoji sequence was detected, Hamas did not follow through with its plans, partly because of disagreements within the organization.

Senior military officials conceded that, before October 7, they would not have recognized preparations for a sweeping cross-border assault or the activation of Hamas’s so-called “Jericho Wall” strategy.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., ignited controversy at the Munich Security Conference on Friday by asserting that American assistance to Israel had facilitated what she described as a genocide in Gaza. Her remarks were delivered in Munich, the city historically associated with the rise of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi movement, which carried out the Holocaust.

Her comments criticizing Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza prompted swift condemnation from military analysts, scholars, and Middle East specialists. Israel’s ongoing war effort began after Hamas — designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union — launched its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israeli communities, killing more than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals and kidnapping 251 people who were taken into Gaza.

Speaking during a town hall discussion, Ocasio-Cortez said, “To me, this isn’t just about a presidential election. Personally, I think that the United States has an obligation to uphold its own laws, particularly the Leahy laws. And I think that personally, that the idea of completely unconditional aid, no matter what one does, does not make sense. I think it enabled a genocide in Gaza. And I think that we have thousands of women and children dead that don’t, that was completely avoidable.”

She added, “And, so I believe that enforcement of our own laws through the Leahy laws, which requires conditioning aid in any circumstance, when you see gross human rights violations, is appropriate.”

The Leahy Laws, first introduced in 1997 by former Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., bar the Department of Defense and the State Department from providing funding to foreign security force units when credible evidence exists that those units have committed “gross violations of human rights.”

Tom Gross, an international affairs analyst, sharply criticized Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks in comments to Fox News Digital. “AOC has flown all the way to Munich — infamous as the city in which Hitler staged his Nazi Beer Hall Putsch that marked the beginning of the road to the Holocaust — in order to smear the Jewish people further with a phony genocide allegation.”

Gross continued, “Such preposterous allegations of ‘genocide’ form the bedrock of modern antisemitic incitement against Jews in the U.S. and globally. This shocking ignorance and insensitivity by Ocasio-Cortez should rule her out of any potential presidential bid or other high office.”

Specialists in military history and genocide studies have also challenged the claim that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide. They argue that the legal definition under international law requires specific intent to eliminate a protected group, a threshold they contend has not been met.

Danny Orbach, a military historian at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and co-author of “Debunking the Genocide Allegations: A Reexamination of the Israel-Hamas War from October 7 2023, to June 1, 2025,” told Fox News Digital that Ocasio-Cortez’s allegation is an “accusation that is incorrect both factually and legally. Under the Genocide Convention, genocide requires proof of a special intent to destroy a protected group, in whole or in part, and as a baseline condition, an active effort to maximize civilian destruction.

“The evidence shows the opposite: as demonstrated in our multi-author study Debunking the Genocide Allegations, Israel undertook unprecedented measures to mitigate civilian harm, including establishing humanitarian safe zones that independently verified data show were approximately six times safer than other areas of Gaza.”

Orbach further stated, “Israel also issued detailed advance warnings before strikes and facilitated the entry of over two million tons of humanitarian aid, often at significant cost to its own military advantage, including the loss of surprise and the sustainment of an enemy during wartime.”

He concluded, “These measures were taken despite Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, its systematic use of human shields and hospitals for military purposes, and a tunnel network exceeding 1,000 kilometers — an operational challenge without historical precedent. Finally, no credible evidence demonstrates the kind of unambiguous, exclusive genocidal intent toward Palestinians that international law requires and that cannot be reasonably interpreted otherwise.”

Conservative commentator Derek Hunter also weighed in, writing on X, “Imagine going to Germany to complain about a fake genocide by Jews…in Munich, of all places. @AOC is about as smart as clogged toilet.”

In December 2024, Germany aligned with the United States in formally rejecting claims that Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide.

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