Matzav

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich issued a sharp warning after the government postponed a vote on the state budget, signaling that the delay could trigger the collapse of the Knesset.

The budget had been set for a vote on Monday, but the schedule was pushed to Wednesday after the chareidi parties refused to back it, citing the government’s failure to advance a Draft Law.

The chareidi factions, United Torah Judaism and Shas, said they would not support the budget until they are able to meet with the Knesset’s legal adviser about the status of the Draft Law.

Their insistence stems from a desire to first clarify legal issues surrounding the promotion of the conscription legislation with the Knesset’s legal advisers.

In response, Smotrich delivered a blunt message to Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, declaring, “If the budget does not pass today, it does not pass at all. Let’s dissolve the Knesset.”

Until Monday morning, coalition leaders believed that Shas and Degel Hatorah would back the budget in its first reading, based on an understanding that the second and third readings would move forward only after the Draft Law was passed.

That expectation unraveled when the chareidi parties informed Netanyahu they would not support the vote as planned and asked for a postponement. Netanyahu agreed to delay the vote in order to address unresolved legal concerns.

Amid the growing crisis, Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting that included Smotrich, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, and Finance Committee Chairman Moshe Gafni of United Torah Judaism.

{Matzav.com}

By Rabbi Shraga Freedman

I wanted to share with Matzav readers a powerful story that took place in the aftermath of the terrible tragedy that occurred in Yerushalayim last week, when two young children died in a charedi daycare. It appears that there was overheating, and as a result, two infants, one three months old and one six months old, were niftar, R”l.

I believe the story below captures something profound about how the Jewish people can navigate deep and painful machlokes within our nation.

The tensions in Israel between the charedi community and the rest of the population are currently at an all time high. Many people have accused the charedi public of an overall culture of lawlessness.

One such person is Chaggai Luber. Chaggai, a religious Zionist, lost his twenty four year old son, Yonatan, in Gaza last year. He has since been an outspoken critic of certain aspects of the charedi world.

This past week, Chaggai joined the many Israelis who felt anger, and even a sense of smugness in reaction to the daycare tragedy.

He wrote in a post:

“And I too participated yesterday, at least as a listener, in the collective frenzy.
And I too clicked my tongue at “the irresponsible parents….”
And I too read about “a culture of contempt, lawbreaking, and irresponsibility among the charedim.”
And I too hurried to reach a verdict and take a stance.
And I too wallowed in that same murky swamp.”

But then he wrote that his wife reminded him of something. Chani Katz, the mother of one of the children who died in that daycare, had once visited the Luber family during their shiva.

Not only that, but when she came, she brought with her a heart shaped necklace bearing Yonatan’s image. It was part of a large jewelry project she launched after October 7, to commemorate those who were killed in the war.

In a social media post, Chaggai wrote that in that moment everything changed. The charedim were no longer a faceless group to criticize. They were people. Brothers and sisters. Broken parents.

He wrote:

והיא עמדה לפני, אמא במלא כאבה,
במלא צערה.
במלא אובדנה

“And I saw her standing before me. A mother filled with hurt. Filled with pain. Filled with loss.”

ומה קרה לי, אב שכול שהצטרפתי לחגיגה
ונסחפתי, אפילו במחשבה, לאותו מחול האשמות נורא.
כשהמתים עוד מוטלים לפנינו, עוד לפני הקבורה.

“What happened to me, a bereaved father, that I joined in the celebration against the charedim? That I got carried away, even if only in thought, into that terrible dance of blame, while the dead were still before us, even before burial?”

והתחרטתי וכמעט שקרעתי קריעה

“And I regretted it. And I almost tore my clothes in mourning.”

This story, I believe, carries within it an answer to the existential struggle of painful machlokes in Klal Yisrael. We can disagree strongly, even passionately, and still truly feel another person’s pain. We can see the most human side (tzelem elokim) of those with whom we differ.

Chani Katz, who carried her own ideological worldview, nevertheless entered the home of grieving parents and joined them in their mourning. Her ability to feel the pain of others created a remarkable transformation in someone who had been emotionally closed off to her world.

This is the challenge of our generation. How to defend Torah values with vigor and conviction, while remaining faithful to Torah’s call for love, dignity, and respect. We can unequivocally reject ideas without rejecting people.

And perhaps the most compelling defense of our values is not the force of condemnation, but the integrity of our conduct. Living as a reflection of Hashem, as mekadshei Hashem, to the point that the Name of Heaven becomes beloved through us.

(This story was adapted with permission from the following article: https://nertamid.net/sermons/praying-for-the-ayatollah-parshas-bo/)

Rabbi Shraga Freedman

Living Kiddush Hashem Foundation

Email LivingKiddushHashem@gmail.com for a free file of stories and sefer Mekadshei Shemecha. Visit LivingKiddushHashem.org for more resources.

Ye has again publicly apologized for years of antisemitic remarks, purchasing a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal in which he linked his behavior to past, untreated health issues.

“I lost touch with reality,” the rapper and fashion designer formerly known as Kanye West wrote in the ad. Elsewhere in the statement, he added, “I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.”

Since late 2022, Ye has repeatedly drawn outrage from Jewish communities worldwide and from much of his own audience. That period began when he threatened to go “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE.” The following year, he aired a Super Bowl commercial promoting T-shirts featuring swastikas and later released a song titled “Heil Hitler,” which was recently played by a group of far-right antisemitic influencers, including Nick Fuentes, at a Miami nightclub in a widely shared video.

The Wall Street Journal advertisement is the latest in a string of apologies from Ye. Previous attempts included a May 2025 statement declaring that he was “done with antisemitism,” as well as a personal apology delivered to Rav Pinto in November.

In the ad, Ye said he suffered a head injury in a car accident 25 years ago that went undiagnosed until 2023, an injury he said “caused serious damage to my mental health and led to my bipolar type-1 diagnosis.” Ye has spoken publicly for years about living with bipolar disorder.

Describing his mindset at the time, Ye wrote, “In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold t-shirts bearing it.” He referred to periods of “disconnected moments” and “reckless behavior” related to his condition, while emphasizing, “It does not excuse what I did, though.”

He also extended an apology “to the black community – which held me down through all of the highs and lows and the darkest of times.” After he openly embraced Nazi imagery and rhetoric, following earlier promotion of the phrase “White lives matter,” many former allies and collaborators in the Black community distanced themselves from him. Despite that, his music continues to circulate widely on social media, frequently used as background for Instagram posts and other user-created content.

Ye said he is now pursuing an “effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise and clean living,” and closed the ad by writing, “I’m not asking for sympathy, or a free pass, though I aspire to earn your forgiveness. I write today simply to ask for your patience and understanding as I find my way home.”

His typically active social media accounts, which have previously featured antisemitic language and imagery, were silent Monday morning following the publication of the ad.

Ye has continued to perform live and maintains a busy concert schedule. He is slated to headline two major shows in Mexico City later this week.

Despite the renewed apologies, Ye’s past antisemitic statements continue to fuel extremist figures online. In recent days, Candace Owens, a far-right commentator and antisemitic conspiracy theorist whose collaborations with Ye helped spark his public antisemitic turn, resurfaced some of his original antisemitic posts for her audience. “This tweet is a whole vibe,” she wrote in reference to his “death con 3″ tweet. Owens has also been promoting claims that Israel was involved in Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump said Monday that Hamas played a role in helping locate the remains of the last Israeli hostage, saying the group must now fulfill its pledge to lay down its weapons as the process moves into its next phase.

Speaking in a joint interview with Axios and Israel’s Channel 12, Trump said the recovery of Ran Gvili’s body завершed the return of all Israeli hostages — both alive and deceased — under the first stage of his peace framework. He noted that many Israeli officials had initially doubted that every hostage could be accounted for, assuming some remains would never be found.

Trump said the operation to locate and identify the body was harrowing and complex. He told Axios and Channel 12 that teams faced a grim reality on the ground, explaining that the work was “very tough” because they “had to go through hundreds of bodies.” He added, “It was a hard scene.”

Despite years of enmity, Trump said Hamas cooperated during the search. “They worked very hard to get the body back. They were working with Israel on it,” he said, adding that details shared by Hamas helped make the recovery possible.

With the first phase now completed, Trump said there are no longer barriers standing in the way of the next steps. He recalled that the effort to bring back every hostage had been widely doubted, but said those doubts have now been put to rest. “Nobody believed we would bring back all the hostages. It was a great moment,” he said, stressing that only the families and the people of Israel can fully grasp what it means to bring home every last trace of those taken.

Trump said the focus must now turn to enforcing the next part of the agreement, which calls for Hamas to disarm. “Now we have to disarm Hamas as they promised,” he said.

He said he received updates Monday morning from advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and later spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, whom he said “was thrilled.” Trump also pointed back to comments he made last week suggesting that the sides were close to finding the final hostage.

Recalling a recent meeting with the family, Trump asked that his reaction be conveyed to Gvili’s parents. “Please tell the parents I am very happy,” he told Axios and Channel 12.

Trump later spoke with Channel 13 reporter Neria Kraus after Gvili’s remains were returned to Israel. “We are very happy about Gvili’s return,” Trump said, describing it as “a great honor to be part of this process and to be involved in it.”

He said he had spent time with Gvili’s parents and with other families who lost loved ones, calling the recovery something few believed could be achieved. “I got to know Ran Gvili’s parents and his family, and other families as well,” he said. “It’s an amazing achievement. Nobody thought it was possible.”

Asked about the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the region, Trump told Channel 13 that “the process in the Middle East is significant and very important.”

The chief executive of one of the world’s leading artificial intelligence companies has issued a stark warning about the dangers posed by the very technology his firm is developing. Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, published a 38-page essay cautioning that the next major threat from artificial intelligence may come from AI companies themselves as the technology rapidly accelerates.

“It is somewhat awkward to say this as the CEO of an AI company, but I think the next tier of risk is actually AI companies themselves,” wrote Dario Amodei, who leads Anthropic, on Monday.

Amodei warned that if current trends continue, artificial intelligence could soon outperform humans at “essentially everything,” a shift he said could have sweeping and destabilizing consequences. Among the risks he outlined were widespread job displacement, heightened terror threats, increased power for authoritarian governments, and a political environment in which leaders are reluctant to impose limits because of the immense influence and financial stakes tied to AI.

He explained that the purpose of the essay was to shake policymakers, industry leaders, and the public into confronting those dangers before they become unmanageable. “The years in front of us will be impossibly hard, asking more of us than we think we can give,” he wrote.

The essay builds on earlier efforts by Amodei and others to push for stronger guardrails on artificial intelligence. It follows a “Statement on Superintelligence” released in October that called for limits on AI development and has since been signed by more than 100,000 people, including prominent figures from the worlds of technology, entertainment, royalty, politics, and business.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump voiced disbelief that California Gov. Gavin Newsom is contemplating a run for the presidency, saying the governor’s stewardship of the state makes such ambitions hard to fathom. Trump argued that California’s problems under Newsom’s leadership would undermine any national campaign.

“I’m amazed Gavin wants to run for office,” Trump told The California Post in an Oval Office interview following his administration’s legal action against California over sanctuary policies, allegations of fraud, and the move to reclaim federal funds.

Trump, who owns a golf course in the state, said his view of California has soured as conditions there have deteriorated during Newsom’s tenure.

“People love the dream of California, but they hate what’s happening to them,” Trump said.

He added that the state is suffering from a lack of effective leadership, contending that its current governor has failed to deliver.

“Gavin’s incompetent,” he said.

Newsom has been adopting a sharper social media approach as he builds a national profile and currently tops early polling for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination, according to RealClearPolitics averages.

Those figures show Newsom with 24% support among Democrats, ahead of former Vice President Kamala Harris at 21%, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 11%, and New York City Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 8%.

Trump predicted that Newsom’s tenure in California would be a central issue on the campaign trail, pointing in particular to the state’s troubled high-speed rail initiative intended to link Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The rail effort, now estimated to cost $135 billion, is the most expensive train project in U.S. history.

Earlier this month, Newsom touted progress on the project during his State of the State address.

“Speaking of tracks, we’re finally laying them,” Newsom said, citing more than 60 miles of guideway completed in the Central Valley, land acquisitions, and environmental approvals for much of the route.

Trump dismissed those claims and reiterated his criticism of the project.

“He has the train, the train to nowhere, that was supposed to be a simple train that went from San Francisco to Los Angeles,” he said. “It’s the greatest cost run over that I’ve ever seen.”

“I could have built that thing, and I could have built that thing in one year,” Trump said.

Originally slated for completion in 2020, the rail line is now projected to reach a limited Central Valley segment between Bakersfield and Merced sometime around 2030, well short of California’s largest cities.

The project has also faced persistent financing troubles, with federal funding repeatedly withdrawn and reinstated, leaving state taxpayers responsible for keeping construction moving.

Trump suggested that the rail project is emblematic of broader issues in the state.

He also said his personal relationship with Newsom has deteriorated sharply since his first term.

“I used to get along with him, but now it’s sort of a hopeless situation. They’ve gone radical left. They’re crazy,” he said.

Newsom, as he weighs a 2028 presidential bid, attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, at the same time as Trump.

During the gathering, Newsom publicly criticized Trump’s actions in office and accused global leaders of yielding to the U.S. president.

Trump confirmed to The NY Post that he briefly spoke with Newsom in Davos but declined to elaborate.

“I saw him in Davos,” he said. “I spoke to him. I spoke to him fine.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Monday that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz reached out to him directly and expressed support for sending border czar Tom Homan to the state amid intensifying confrontations between protesters and federal immigration agents, the NY Post reports.

“Governor Tim Walz called me with the request to work together with respect to Minnesota. It was a very good call, and we, actually, seemed to be on a similar wavelength,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

“He was happy that Tom Homan was going to Minnesota, and so am I!,” the president added.

The exchange marked a shift in tone following weeks of sharp public criticism between the two leaders after Trump ordered expanded ICE operations in Minnesota last month.

Trump struck an optimistic note about future coordination, indicating the conversation would not be a one-off.

“Both Governor Walz and I want to make it better!,” he declared.

Walz later characterized the discussion as constructive, saying Trump agreed to “look into reducing the number of federal agents” operating in the state. The governor also said he pressed the president to allow a state-level investigation into recent incidents.

Walz said he reminded Trump that the Minnesota Department of Corrections routinely notifies ICE “when a person committed to its custody isn’t a U.S. citizen.”

The conciliatory tone contrasted sharply with Walz’s remarks just a day earlier, when he likened Trump’s immigration actions in Minnesota to those of Nazi Germany.

“We have got children in Minnesota hiding in their houses, afraid to go outside,” Walz said at a press conference. “Many of us grew up reading that story of Anne Frank.”

Minnesota has emerged as a focal point of Trump’s nationwide immigration enforcement push. About 3,000 ICE agents are currently operating in Minneapolis, and a senior ICE official told CBS News that roughly 3,400 arrests have been made in the area.

The heightened enforcement has coincided with rising unrest following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse. Video from the scene showed officers restraining Pretti on the ground amid shouts that he had a gun. An officer was seen removing Pretti’s 9mm handgun, with the slide appearing to move during the struggle, suggesting the weapon may have discharged before officers opened fire.

The incident occurred just 17 days after the death of Renee Good, also 37, who was killed after accelerating her vehicle toward an ICE officer in Minneapolis.

In the wake of the shootings, protests intensified across the city.

Trump announced Monday that Homan would be dispatched to oversee federal operations in Minnesota.

“[Homan] has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me.”

The move prompted questions about Trump’s confidence in Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has described Pretti and Good as domestic terrorists. A White House official told The Post that the president maintains full confidence in Noem, adding that Homan “is uniquely positioned to drop everything and focus solely on Minnesota.”

According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Homan will oversee ICE activity on the ground to help “continue arresting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens,” while also coordinating with officials handling “the massive, widespread fraud” investigations underway in the state.

Despite the cooperative language following Monday’s call, Trump has continued to criticize Walz publicly. Last month, he referred to the governor as “seriously retarded.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of what he calls “fake and fraudulent polling” on Monday, arguing that the practice should be treated as a criminal matter and accusing major media outlets of intentionally misleading voters and attempting to sway election outcomes.

In an extended post on Truth Social, Trump said large news organizations knowingly circulated inaccurate polling data during the 2024 election cycle in order to dampen voter enthusiasm and manipulate public opinion.

“Fake and Fraudulent Polling should be, virtually, a criminal offense,” Trump wrote, singling out surveys promoted by The New York Times, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and MSNBC, which he said were “knowingly wrong” and reflected “nothing even close to the final results.”

According to Trump, the polls were designed to influence the election narrative despite what he described as a sweeping victory at the ballot box.

“I won in a Landslide, including winning the Popular Vote, all 7 of the 7 Swing States, the Electoral College was a rout, and 2,750 Counties to 525,” he wrote. “You can’t do much better than that.”

Trump said that while he has also taken issue at times with polling from Fox News and The Wall Street Journal, independent pollsters who accurately gauged voter sentiment were largely ignored by mainstream outlets.

“There are great Pollsters that called the Election right, but the Media does not want to use them in any way, shape, or form,” Trump wrote, describing the situation as a “Polling SCAM” and criticizing what he sees as the decline of American journalism.

The comments come as Trump continues to pursue legal action against The New York Times. Last week, he said he plans to add the Times/Siena poll to his defamation lawsuit, accusing the paper of publishing “fake results” skewed heavily in favor of Democrats.

The most recent Times/Siena survey showed Trump with a 40% approval rating and 56% disapproval one year into his current term. The poll also reported that nearly half of respondents believe the country is worse off under Trump, a conclusion he strongly disputed.

“The Times Siena Poll, which is always tremendously negative to me, especially just before the Election of 2024, where I won in a Landslide, will be added to my lawsuit,” Trump wrote in a separate post Thursday.

Trump said his legal team has formally demanded documentation detailing how the poll was conducted and how its results were calculated.

Trump originally filed suit against The New York Times and several of its reporters last year, alleging defamation tied to coverage of his 2024 campaign. Although a federal judge dismissed the initial case, Trump refiled the lawsuit in October, and the matter remains pending.

For years, conservatives have argued that establishment polling consistently undercounts Republican voters, particularly those in working-class and rural communities, while overstating Democratic turnout. A series of high-profile polling failures in recent election cycles has further fueled doubts about the reliability of mainstream surveys.

Trump said he plans to continue confronting media organizations he believes are misusing their influence.

“They have become deranged and sick,” he wrote. “They suffer from TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME. They have to pay a price for FAKE AND FRAUDULENT NEWS — and hopefully, they will.”

{Matzav.com}

Opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz sharply attacked the government on Monday over efforts to advance legislation regulating the draft status of yeshiva students, warning that the bill would not pass and accusing the coalition of deceiving the public and undermining Israel’s security.

Speaking at the opening of their faction meetings in the Knesset, Lapid and Gantz delivered blistering criticism of what they described as a draft-evasion law. Both leaders framed their remarks against the backdrop of the ongoing war and the recovery operation to bring home the body of fallen Yassam fighter Ran Gvili Hy”d.

Gantz opened by addressing the military effort, saying: “First of all, we are all praying for the success of the operation to return the heroic Yassam fighter Ran Gvili and strengthening the IDF soldiers who are working for this sacred goal at these hours. No further easing in the Gaza Strip should be allowed until we fully exhaust the current efforts to return Ran to his family and to his land.”

He went on to outline his broader security stance, arguing that any move to a second phase must focus on dismantling Hamas rather than offering concessions. “Moving to Phase Two must begin with dismantling Hamas rule and its military power — not with an oxygen pipe for Hamas. The Rafah Crossing is only a symptom. As we said from the start of the war, the hostages should have been released as a priority — and then Hamas eliminated. Now, when we no longer have living hostages in the Strip, we also no longer have operational constraints. The job must be finished.”

Gantz further said Israel should coordinate with President Trump on a clear deadline for Hamas to disarm and relinquish control. “Even if it is right to give Trump’s initiative a chance, we must not live in the illusions of October 6. Turkish soldiers, Qatari soldiers, or even American soldiers will not eliminate Hamas. Only IDF soldiers will. In my assessment, it is not a question of if — only when. We will finish the job.”

Turning to the draft issue, Gantz said the IDF urgently needs reinforcement in manpower and resources. “The deal being formed right now of budget in exchange for draft evasion is not only corrupt and destructive to the economy. It severely harms those who serve. It sabotages our ability to bring about the final collapse of Hamas rule. It is insane to me that after everything we have been through, the government is still busy dismantling the people’s army instead of dismantling Hamas.”

Addressing Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and senior Likud ministers by name, Gantz asked: “Is it really worth it to you for another three months on the chair?”

Gantz added that he has been speaking in recent weeks with serving and former Likud lawmakers and senior figures who oppose the legislation. “I am telling you: a draft exemption law will not pass. More importantly, I hear an awakening. There are many in Likud and also in Religious Zionism — serving and former Knesset members, together with key figures — who will not agree to the continuation of this destructive deal. They will not back the establishment of another government of draft evaders and extremists. This experiment not only failed and brought us disaster — it collapsed.”

He concluded by saying that the only viable solution is a broad unity government made up of those who serve. “And that is what will be.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid followed with an even more confrontational address, declaring that a clear majority in the Knesset opposes the proposed law. “In the Knesset of Israel there are not only 61 members who are against the draft-evasion law, there are 71, maybe even 81. They just need to decide that they are not willing to deceive the fighters. The draft-evasion law will not pass. We will stop it, and there will be a real draft law. Whoever does not enlist will not receive a single shekel. We will shut off the tap, and you will see how fast they enlist.”

Lapid accused the government of continuing what he called a “disgraceful farce” despite recordings that, he said, exposed the law as fraudulent. “I have one question for Netanyahu and Bismuth: why? Why are you continuing this shameful farce after the rabbis’ recordings exposed that this is a complete deception? Who are you fooling? You have been exposed. Everyone knows. The game is over.”

He cited recorded statements attributed to rabbinic figures, saying: “Rav Hirsch says in his own voice, ‘There will be no targets, God forbid that we meet targets.’ He says — and I quote, it was recorded — ‘Do they think we will want to meet the target? Of course we won’t want to. In the end the law will fall after a few years, but in the meantime we gained time.’ He admits in his own voice that this is what was agreed with him, a complete fraud law whose only purpose is to buy time.”

Lapid continued by quoting additional alleged remarks: “Rav Landau says, ‘It’s all nonsense, no one will go to the army.’ Rabbi Yehuda Cohen, a Shas representative, says, ‘The heads of the yeshivas will not send anyone.’ When asked why they pretend otherwise, he answers without blinking, ‘So that the decrees will be canceled.’ Meaning, so the budgets will return.”

He accused the government of financial motivations, saying: “This fraud, like any fraud, is also about money. Sixty billion shekels the State of Israel gives every year to draft evaders. When it comes to taking our money, they suddenly know the State of Israel very well. These people relate to the State of Israel as if it were a foreign state of gentiles, that it is a mitzvah to deceive it — and Deri and Netanyahu help them.”

Lapid concluded by reiterating his pledge to block the legislation. “This law will not pass, because there is a limit. We will stop it and there will be a real draft law. Whoever does not enlist will not receive a single shekel from the state — no daycare subsidies, no allowances, nothing. We will shut off the tap, and you will see how fast they enlist.”

{Matzav.com}

A budget standoff is escalating in the Senate as Democrats threaten to block government funding unless the Department of Homeland Security is sidelined, while Republicans accuse them of attempting to impose what they call a “mob veto” on law enforcement.

Republicans made their position clear Monday, warning they will not yield to demands tied to defunding immigration enforcement. “Democrats want to shut down the government — again — unless ICE is defunded,” the Senate Republicans’ X account posted. “Not a chance. There can be no mob veto on enforcing the law.”

The clash comes as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., prepares to block the DHS portion of a six-bill appropriations package as lawmakers race toward Friday’s midnight deadline, when the current continuing resolution expires and a shutdown would take effect.

Democrats’ move follows the deadly shooting involving ICE in Minnesota over the weekend, which has reignited tensions after last fall’s record-setting government shutdown. Schumer has made clear that Democrats intend to halt DHS funding unless changes are made.

“Senate Democrats will not allow the current DHS funding bill to move forward,” Schumer said, according to a statement posted Sunday to X by Punchbowl News’ Jake Sherman. “Senate Republicans have seen the same horrific footage that all Americans have watched of the blatant abuses of Americans by ICE in Minnesota.
“The appalling murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti on the streets of Minneapolis must lead Republicans to join Democrats in overhauling ICE and CBP to protect the public. People should be safe from abuse by their own government.
“Senate Republicans must work with Democrats to advance the other five funding bills while we work to rewrite the DHS bill. This is best course of action, and the American people are on our side.”

Republican senators quickly rejected that approach, framing it as an attempt to paralyze federal law enforcement through public pressure. Among them was Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton of Arkansas.

“The deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti are regrettable tragedies,” Cotton wrote Sunday night on X. “They could’ve been avoided — & further unrest can be avoided — if state & local officials work with federal law enforcement and stop encouraging civilians to interfere.
“There can be no mob veto on enforcing the law.”

While Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., has not publicly weighed in on the DHS funding fight, several outspoken supporters of President Donald Trump and tougher border enforcement have issued firm statements opposing any cuts.

“Democrats opened the border and allowed many dangerous criminals to invade America,” Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., wrote Monday on X. “Minnesota Democrats are inciting violence and obstruction of federal law enforcement.
“Now, Senate Democrats are threatening to defund the very agency tasked with cleaning up their mess.
“I will oppose any effort to defund DHS.”

Johnson’s remarks echoed those of Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who also vowed to block any reduction in DHS funding.

“I will be returning to D.C. very soon,” Scott wrote Sunday on X. “I want to be very clear. @DHSgov needs to continue to be fully funded.
“I will not support any efforts to strip DHS of its funding.”

Republicans currently hold a slim majority in the Senate, with the balance of power allowing Vice President JD Vance to cast a tie-breaking vote if necessary on legislation advancing under budget reconciliation rules. In the 119th Congress, Republicans control 53 seats, Democrats hold 45, and two seats are held by independents.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee and whose state has been grappling with deadly ice storms, has not issued a public statement on the DHS funding dispute.

{Matzav.com}

Terror organizations, led by Hamas, are attempting to take credit for the return of the body of Ran Gvili Hy”d while pressing Israel to fully implement all provisions of the ceasefire agreement, with a particular emphasis on opening the Rafah Crossing in both directions without restrictions.

In a statement issued following the recovery of Gvili’s body, Hamas called for the “full implementation of the ceasefire agreement clauses, without reduction or delay, and a commitment to all required completions, especially the opening of the Rafah Crossing in both directions without limitations.”

IDF officials rejected Hamas’ claims, stressing that the terror group did not provide information that led to the discovery of Gvili’s body. According to the military, Hamas released its statement only after realizing that Israeli forces were closing in on the location, in an effort to “claim credit” for the outcome. Senior IDF sources said the recovery was achieved solely through “uncompromising military pressure on Hamas.”

An IDF official described the operation as emotionally harrowing, saying, “What brought him back was relentless military pressure on Hamas. It was a moving and extremely difficult moment to locate him among the smells of the bodies and the sights that took us back to the days of Camp Shura.”

Despite the IDF’s position, Hamas asserted in its official announcement that it had played a role in the process. “We invested great efforts to locate the last abducted fallen soldier and provided the mediators with the required information from time to time, which assisted in finding him,” the statement read. Hamas claimed the move was carried out “as part of the full commitment of the resistance to completing the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, after it fulfilled all of its obligations clearly and responsibly.”

The terror organization went on to outline its expectations from Israel, reiterating demands for the unrestricted opening of the Rafah Crossing, the entry of supplies into Gaza in what it described as required quantities, the removal of all limitations on those supplies, a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and easing the work of the committee overseeing Gaza’s administration.

Israeli officials, however, continue to maintain that the successful recovery of Ran Gvili hy”d was the result of sustained operational pressure and intelligence work, and not cooperation from Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday marked a historic and emotional moment in the Knesset plenum by reciting the bracha of Shehecheyanu after IDF forces completed the mission to return the body of Ran Gvili Hy”d, the last fallen hostage held in the Gaza Strip.

Opening his remarks with the full bracha, Netanyahu said, “Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech Ha’olam, shehecheyanu v’kiyemanu v’higi’anu lazman hazeh,” before addressing the members of Knesset. “My friends, members of the Knesset, a short time ago we brought Rani Gvili home, a hero of Israel. There are no more hostages in Gaza.”

Netanyahu praised the security forces for what he described as the flawless execution of a sacred mission. “I bless the commanders and soldiers of the IDF and the Shin Bet for the perfect completion of this holy task,” he said. Turning to the family, the prime minister added, “I embrace Talik and Itzik and the entire noble Gvili family. I looked them in the eyes and said: ‘We will bring Rani home.’ I promised you, citizens of Israel: we will bring everyone home.”

Referring to the yellow hostage pin worn by many Israelis since the outbreak of the war, Netanyahu removed the pin from his lapel during his address. “We all wore the pin, and now that the mission has been completed, the time has come to remove it,” he said. “For the sons have returned to their borders, and the daughters have returned to their borders.”

The prime minister expressed gratitude to those who assisted in bringing the mission to its conclusion. “I wish to thank Gal Hirsch for his tireless dedication to this mission. I thank my colleagues in the government who supported this effort throughout. I thank President Trump, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, and their teams for their significant and important support.”

Netanyahu concluded by thanking the public at large. “I thank the entire people of Israel for the tefillos and the chizuk. We have completed this mission, as I promised, and so too will we complete the other missions we have set before us.”

{Matzav.com}

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Israel’s political leadership responded with visible emotion following the return of the body of Ran Gvili Hy”d, with senior officials across the spectrum describing the moment as a painful yet profound closure and a fulfillment of a promise sealed in blood.

In a powerful and symbolic gesture, President Isaac Herzog removed the yellow hostage pin from his suit lapel. “All of our hearts are with Tali and Itzik, who fought a noble struggle,” the president wrote. “Since 2014, and after many long and difficult years, there is no Israeli citizen in the Gaza Strip. An entire nation prayed for this moment.” Herzog summarized the significance of the development by declaring: “The circle has closed — there are no more Israelis in Gaza.”

Security officials echoed the sense of moral responsibility fulfilled. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir spoke with the family immediately following Operation “Lev Amitz” and stated succinctly: “We did not leave anyone behind.” Police Commissioner Insp. Gen. Danny Levy emphasized Gvili’s personal heroism, noting his service as a Yassam fighter who stood as a protective shield for civilians on October 7.

Members of the political echelon described the recovery as a moral victory. Defense Minister Yisroel Katz said, “A moment of closure that underscores our commitment to every soldier and every citizen. This is our mutual responsibility.”

Shas chairman Aryeh Deri added, “A moment of deep pain and moral closure. There is no other nation like this in the world that does not give up on its sons, in life and in death.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir reflected the mixed emotions felt nationwide, saying, “Shattering and overwhelming emotions. The heart breaks for the Yassam fighter who gave his life, alongside immense relief that he is no longer in enemy hands. Welcome home, Rani.”

Opposition leaders also issued statements of tribute. Yair Lapid said, “I embrace the family that fought so hard. Ran was the last hostage in Gaza — I welcome his return for a proper burial.” Gadi Eisenkot remarked, “The heart breaks and heals at the same time. This operation is the essence of the story of the Jewish people — a nation that does not forget and does not let go.”

International figures joined the expressions of condolence as well. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and former national security adviser Mike Waltz referenced his personal connection to the family, stating, “I had the honor to pray with them. Now the healing can begin.”

An IDF soldier who took part in the operation to locate the body of Ran Gvili described the intense emotions that swept through the forces involved, recounting the dramatic moments surrounding the final identification at a burial site in Gaza.

The news of the recovery of Ran Gvili’s body, announced at 2:50 p.m. on Monday, sent a wave of emotion through hundreds of soldiers and professionals who had been operating in the area. One of the fighters who participated in the mission described the scene in stark terms. “It’s impossible to describe what happened here; crying, shouting, unbelievable,” he said, adding simply: “Everyone here is crying.”

According to the soldier, the complex operation focused on what he called “a massive cemetery with thousands of bodies.” Due to the scale of the site and the number of remains, the forces were required to develop independent capabilities in the field. “We developed our own technology,” the soldiers testified, describing the methods used to cope with the enormity of the task.

The work was carried out at a rapid and methodical pace under intense time pressure, with teams operating continuously. “We worked nonstop from yesterday afternoon, 24 hours,” the soldier recounted, noting that the effort involved examining approximately 350 bodies before reaching the long-sought identification.

Hundreds of soldiers from the Alexandroni Brigade took part in the operation, alongside extensive medical and religious support teams. “There are 24 doctors here, it’s like a factory,” the soldier said, describing the organized process on site. The mission combined sensitive engineering and explosive-ordnance work, with nine excavators operating alongside fighters from the Yahalom unit. According to testimony from the field, the unit’s fighters carried out “bomb clearance before every grave, and then the rabbanut personnel enter.”

The recovery came after forces mapped and marked roughly 900 potential bodies, a figure that, according to those involved, underscores the complexity of the mission, as it represents only “about 5%” of all those buried at the vast site.

“It’s impossible to describe what happened here. Crying, shouting, unbelievable,” the soldier concluded emotionally, summing up the atmosphere following the identification.

{Matzav.com}

A U.S. aircraft carrier strike group centered around the USS Abraham Lincoln has entered the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, a region that includes Iran, according to reports confirmed by a U.S. official.

The official confirmed the deployment to CBS News. The carrier is operating alongside three guided missile destroyers — the USS Frank E. Petersen, Jr., the USS Spruance, and the USS Michael Murphy — and the group is equipped with F/A-18 Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, F-35C fighter jets, and MH-60 helicopters. As of Monday morning, the strike group had not yet gone “on station,” indicating it had not reached its designated operational location.

President Donald Trump has so far refrained from ordering retaliatory military action against Iran despite reports of mass killings of protesters, though the repositioning of U.S. naval forces into the region creates new military options.

At the same time, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian-backed terrorist groups across the Middle East are reportedly signaling preparedness for open conflict.

IRGC Gen. Mohammad Pakpour said Iranian forces have their “finger on the trigger” and warned both the United States and Israel against “any miscalculation,” according to reports from Iran-linked Nournews and The Associated Press.

Trump said last week that a “massive fleet” was moving toward Iran “just in case” action is needed, while also emphasizing that the forces may ultimately not be used.

According to a report published Saturday by The Jerusalem Post, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has gone into hiding amid fears that U.S. airstrikes could target him.

The military buildup comes as unrest continues to grip Iran following widespread protests that erupted in late December. Trump has repeatedly cautioned Iranian leaders against the killing of peaceful demonstrators and against carrying out mass executions of individuals detained during the protests.

As tensions continue to rise in Minnesota following the killing of a second protester amid demonstrations against federal immigration enforcement, President Donald Trump announced Monday that he is dispatching border czar Tom Homan to the state to help stabilize the situation.

“I am sending Tom Homan to Minnesota tonight,” Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social. “He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there.
“Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me.”

Homan’s deployment comes as demonstrations and clashes related to ICE operations have intensified. While Homan has previously urged that rhetoric surrounding the situation in Minnesota be dialed back, many protesters and critics of ICE view him as emblematic of the policies they oppose.

Trump has already sharply criticized Democrat Gov. Tim Walz and Democrat Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, accusing them of refusing to cooperate with federal authorities operating in the state.

In his statement, Trump again tied the unrest to what he has repeatedly claimed are politically motivated efforts by Democrats to divert attention from large-scale fraud investigations in Minnesota, which he suggested could reach senior state officials.

“Separately, a major investigation is going on with respect to the massive 20 Billion Dollar, Plus, Welfare Fraud that has taken place in Minnesota, and is at least partially responsible for the violent organized protests going on in the streets,” Trump’s statement continued.
“Additionally, the DOJ and Congress are looking at ‘Congresswoman’ Illhan Omar, who left Somalia with NOTHING, and is now reportedly worth more than 44 Million Dollars. Time will tell all. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DJT.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Homan’s presence in Minnesota will bolster both immigration enforcement efforts and ongoing fraud investigations, amplifying the president’s message in a post of her own on X.

“Tom Homan will be managing ICE Operations on the ground in Minnesota to continue arresting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens,” Leavitt wrote, sharing Trump’s message. In addition, Tom will coordinate with those leading investigations into the massive, widespread fraud that has resulted in billions of taxpayer dollars being stolen from law-abiding citizens in Minnesota.”

Republican leaders from Minnesota welcomed the move, including House GOP Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who praised Trump’s decision to send Homan to the state.

“Excellent decision by @POTUS,” Emmer wrote Monday morning on X.
“Tom Homan is a strong leader who will help end the chaos in Minnesota, bring accountability, and step up where local and state officials have failed.”

{Matzav.com}

The chareidi community in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is in deep mourning following a tragic accident that claimed the life of a 12-year-old boy on Sunday.

The victim, Michoel Mordechai Habuba z”l, was participating in an activity at a summer camp operated by the Heichal HaTorah community when a tree suddenly collapsed and struck him. The impact caused a severe head injury.

Michoel Mordechai, the son of Rav Dovid Habuba, rosh kollel of Kollel Chafetz Chaim in Buenos Aires, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Despite extensive medical efforts and many tefillos offered on his behalf, doctors pronounced his death several hours later.

Community askanim in Argentina are currently working to prevent an autopsy. Local police have opened an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

{Matzav.com}

The Israel Defense Forces on Monday confirmed that its soldiers recovered the body of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last remaining hostage, from the Gaza Strip.

“Following the completion of the identification process by the National Center of Forensic Medicine in collaboration with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, IDF representatives informed the family of the hostage Ran Gvili, of blessed memory, that their loved one has been identified and will be laid to rest,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said.

Gvili, a 24-year-old Israel Police Special Patrol Unit (Yasam) volunteer from Meitar, “fell in battle on the morning of October 7, 2023, and his body was abducted to the Gaza Strip,” the military statement added.

“The IDF shares the family’s grief. The IDF will continue to accompany the families and the returnees and to act to strengthen the security of Israel’s citizens,” it said.

With Gvili’s return, Hamas is holding no Israeli captives for the first time since 2014, when the terrorist organization seized the remains of two IDF soldiers killed during the Gaza war that year, the military noted.

“The return of Ran, of blessed memory, for burial is a painful moment of closure—with the return of the last hostage from the territory of the Gaza Strip to the Land of Israel,” said Defense Minister Yisroel Katz.

Gvili was “a courageous fighter, driven by a deep sense of mission and national responsibility. His bravery on that difficult morning is part of the story of the steadfastness and determination shown by the fighters and security forces in the face of the terrorist attack,” continued Katz.

His return “underscores the State of Israel’s commitment to its soldiers and civilians: to bring every single person home—as we promised the families and the Israeli public,” he said. “That is mutual responsibility.”

Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levy on Monday spoke with Gvili’s father, Itzik, “updated him on the details and extended a warm embrace to him and the entire family,” the force’s Spokesperson’s Unit stated.

“The commissioner once again emphasized Rani’s determination and bravery,” it continued. “A officer in the YASAM unit, Rani shielded the civilians of the State of Israel with his body, acting with courage and self-sacrifice in defense of others.

“An honor convoy led by the Israel Police will escort Rani’s coffin” to the Israeli Health Ministry’s National Center of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir in Tel Aviv, the statement said.

Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office announced on Sunday that the IDF since late last week had been “conducting a focused operation to exhaust all of the intelligence that has been gathered in the effort to locate” Gvili.

“Operation Brave Heart” focused on a cemetery in northern Gaza and included extensive scanning while utilizing all available intelligence.

Gvili fought with extraordinary courage on Oct. 7. When the attacks began, he left his house, put on his uniform and headed out to fight. Only 10 days before he had broken his shoulder, and was waiting for surgery, his father said in an interview with Israel Hayom last month.

“Rani told us he would not let his friends fight alone, and that even with the fracture he could still hold a handgun,” said Itzik Gvili. “I will never forget the look in his eyes. It was as if he was saying, ‘This is what I have waited for my entire life.’”

Gvili went to the Beersheva police station, joining forces headed toward Alumim, a religious kibbutz located near the border with the Gaza Strip.

During the battle close to Alumim, he rescued about 100 people who had fled the Nova music festival and killed 14 Hamas terrorist forces.

He was shot in the arm and leg during the fighting. He held his position, choosing not to evacuate and radioing information about the enemy forces until he died from his wounds. Hamas then seized his body.

The terror group abducted a total of 251 Israelis and foreign nationals on Oct. 7. Of those, 168 were freed alive and the remaining dead, whose bodies were returned in truce deals or recovered in IDF operations. JNS

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Minnesota law prohibits concealed carry without proper identification, addressing the issue during a television appearance following a fatal shooting involving a federal agent in Minneapolis.

Speaking this week on FOX News’s The Sunday Briefing, Noem emphasized that concealed carry in the state is illegal “without an ID on you.”

Her remarks followed a question from host Peter Doocy, who noted that the man shot and killed by a federal agent during a protest in Minneapolis “was legally a concealed carry permit holder.”

Doocy pressed further, asking, “Is your message to people who [have] concealed carry permits, that if they’re going to go to a protest, they should leave their gun in the car?”

Noem rejected that framing and said the central issue was interference with police activity. “No, my message to individuals is don’t go impede law enforcement operations. That’s not legal, you’re breaking the law when you do that,” she said.

She then returned to the identification requirement, adding, “It’s also breaking the law in Minnesota when you conceal carry without an ID on you.”

The Department of Homeland Security said over the weekend that the man killed in the encounter was armed with a 9mm handgun and had “2 magazines and no ID.”

Minnesota’s statute governing carry permits states: “The holder of a permit to carry must have the permit card and a driver’s license, state identification card, or other government-issued photo identification in immediate possession at all times when carrying a pistol and must display the permit card and identification document upon lawful demand by a peace officer, as defined in section 626.84, subdivision 1. ”

Noem concluded by stressing that physical interference with officers is both improper and unlawful. “You shouldn’t be laying hands on law enforcement, and getting in their faces, and trying to stop them from conducting their work. All of that is part of protocol, but it also is the law, and when people are in violation of the law there [are] consequences for that.”

{Matzav.com}