Matzav

A new national snapshot shows voters under 40 leaning decisively toward a political shift: a majority of likely voters in that age bracket say they want a “democratic socialist” to take the White House in 2028, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports poll.

Researchers presented a straightforward question to respondents ages 18 to 39: “The next presidential election is in 2028. Would you like to see a democratic socialist candidate win the 2028 presidential election?” The results revealed a striking generational divide.

When all respondents were tallied together, 51 percent answered “yes,” embracing the idea of a democratic socialist victory. Just 32 percent opposed the concept, while 17 percent said they were uncertain about which direction they preferred.

Partisan differences were exactly what one would expect in today’s fractured political climate. Among Democrats under 40, enthusiasm was overwhelming: 82 percent welcomed a democratic socialist in 2028, with only eight percent rejecting the idea and nine percent unsure.

Republicans under 40 took the opposite stance. Sixty-five percent said they did not want a democratic socialist winning the next presidential race, compared to 24 percent who said they did, and 11 percent who were unsure how they felt.

Independents were split in every direction. Thirty-seven percent favored a democratic socialist outcome, but 32 percent couldn’t make up their minds, and 31 percent said they would prefer someone else entirely.

The poll also explored what — or who — nudged young voters toward democratic socialism in the first place. Twenty-seven percent credited a parent for shaping their views. After that came online media: 17 percent said videos or podcasts influenced them. Ten percent pointed to books, seven percent to a grandparent, six percent to print or digital news, five percent to television, five percent to a church leader, and four percent to a teacher at either the high-school or college level.

Parents were the dominant influence for both Democrats and Republicans who held pro-socialist leanings. Independents stood out slightly, with the largest share of them — 18 percent — citing books as the biggest factor.

Rasmussen surveyed 1,496 likely voters between the ages of 18 and 39 from October 31 through November 2, 2025. The poll’s margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percent.

These findings arrive at a moment when democratic socialism is receiving fresh attention, spurred in part by the rise of Muslim socialist Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s mayor-elect, who has promoted sweeping proposals such as city-run grocery stores — and even argued that “mental health experts” should respond to crimes instead of police.

The polling also comes against the backdrop of internal Democrat turmoil, showcased during the party-triggered government shutdown, where Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was seen attempting to placate the increasingly aggressive far-left faction of his caucus.

Senior Israeli legal authorities issued a sharp warning on Thursday night, saying the newest version of the conscription bill—presented by Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chair Boaz Bismuth—has little chance of surviving a High Court challenge. Their view is straightforward: the proposal doesn’t supply the IDF with the manpower it desperately needs, and it falls far short of true fairness under the law.

They referenced pointed remarks from High Court justices earlier this month—led by Deputy Chief Justice Noam Sohlberg—during the hearing on the exemption system. People involved in the behind-the-scenes talks between the defense establishment, legal advisers, and the Finance Ministry said the latest outline “institutionalizes draft evasion and entrenches the ongoing non-enlistment of chareidi men.” One participant noted that the plan restores funding for yeshivas immediately but does not bring even one additional soldier into uniform.

These officials stressed that the proposal doesn’t meet the country’s security needs or economic reality, leaving the IDF with almost no meaningful enforcement tools. Since the sanctions are aimed at institutions—not at individuals who avoid service—they believe its impact will be negligible. “A conscription law without personal sanctions is a toothless law,” one senior official said. “Its practical purpose seems to be buying time for the coalition without increasing enlistment.” The complaint from the professional echelon is that instead of dealing with draft avoidance, the government is placing the pressure—both financial and logistical—on the army and on the tzibbur.

The draft bill broadens the definition of a chareidi individual, classifying anyone who learned in chareidi schools for two years between ages 14 and 18 as eligible for national civilian service, such as roles in auxiliary units under the Prime Minister’s Office. Under this definition, targets would no longer apply solely to full-time yeshiva bochurim but to “graduates of chareidi education” more broadly.

Defense officials told committee members that although the war in Gaza has concluded, reserve duty demands are expected to rise significantly in 2026, with battalions projected to serve around 110 reserve days per year—far above the 2025 goal of 70 days. The cost of reserve duty in 2025 alone is expected to reach 200 billion shekels. They added that the army has been expanding regular-service units over the last two years to lighten the load on reservists and believes mandatory service must be extended beyond the current 30 months.

Finance Ministry representatives offered equally sobering numbers, projecting that the war’s economic impact by the end of 2025 will total around 130 billion shekels, plus another 70 billion shekels in reserve-duty expenses.

Military officials said that even after the withdrawal from Gaza, the IDF will still need to boost defenses for both standing and reserve troops guarding the south, particularly the yishuvim near the Gaza border. Significant forces remain stationed along Lebanon and Syria, and the army has increased its activities in the West Bank to prevent Hamas from reestablishing itself.

The political fate of the bill is no less fraught. United Torah Judaism leader Yitzchok Goldknopf issued a cautious message, saying the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah instructed the party to support only a proposal that fully protects Torah learning and includes no sanctions whatsoever. He said the matter will now be brought to senior gedolim for guidance.

Within the coalition, officials quietly admitted that Goldknopf holds the decisive card. Public opposition is intense, and internal tensions inside Likud are growing. Without UTJ’s backing, they said, additional lawmakers may break ranks, making it nearly impossible to reach a majority.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has not spoken publicly, but those close to him say he favors the bill and sees it as a chance to “transform the IDF.” They claim the plan could raise chareidi enlistment to about 50 percent within five years, excluding Chassidic groups, the Peleg Yerushalmi, and Neturei Karta. They also insisted the sanctions are “harsh,” explaining that falling below 70 percent of recruitment goals would lead to a total cutoff of state funding for yeshivas. “This is an excellent law and it will pass,” they said.

Goldknopf, despite past threats to dissolve the Knesset over this issue and his opposition to any form of sanctions, is still viewed as weighing his options. Chareidi insiders said Thursday night that tensions may ease now that the bill has been published, and that pressure from leading Litvishe gedolim—who reportedly support the outline—may push him to abstain instead of vote against it.

Inside Likud, resistance is already taking shape. Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel announced she will vote no on the bill, saying she has backing from a group of other lawmakers. MK Moshe Saada criticized the proposal for offering nothing to combat soldiers, pointing out that it sets no targets for combat enlistment at all. He said the law should clearly reward those who serve, declaring, “You served, you receive; you didn’t serve, you don’t.”

Coalition officials cautioned that if the process begins with UTJ withholding even two votes, the bill may never reach the Knesset floor because it would start without a viable majority.

{Matzav.com}

As the country reels from the shocking attack on two National Guard members in Washington, a fuller picture is emerging about how deeply the Biden-era rush to bring Afghans into the United States bypassed normal safeguards. The alleged gunman in this week’s shooting, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” as he opened fire, leaving both service members gravely wounded, according to law enforcement sources.

Lakanwal’s path into the country traces straight back to Operation Allies Welcome, the massive resettlement effort overseen by Alejandro Mayorkas in 2021 that moved tens of thousands of Afghans into American neighborhoods within months of the U.S. withdrawal from Kabul.

It was during that frenzied period that Mayorkas startled lawmakers by conceding publicly that the government was not giving every evacuee the full, in-person refugee screening normally required before entering the United States. In a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that November, he bluntly stated, “We are not conducting in-person, refugee interviews of 100 percent individuals.” His acknowledgment left members of Congress stunned.

Well before that testimony, internal communications from the hasty evacuation made clear that the marching orders to accelerate entry — even at the expense of standard procedures — came straight from the top. An October 2021 email from a U.S. diplomat, written during the chaotic final days of the Kabul collapse, summarized President Biden’s urgent instructions. The message, relayed to Ambassador Ross Wilson, said:

Team,
President Biden phoned Ambassador Wilson with the following directive about who to clear to board evacuation flights:
“1. Anyone with a valid form of ID should be given permission to go on a plane if the person plausibly falls into the categories we will evacuate U.S. citizens and [legal permanent residents] plus their immediate families, [local embassy staff] plus their immediate families, those entitled to an [Special Immigrant Visa], and Afghans at risk.
2. Families including women and children should be allowed through and held to fill out planes.
3. Total inflow to the U.S. must exceed the number of seats available. Err on the side of excess.”

The email concluded with a blunt assessment that the guidance “provides clear discretion and direction to fill seats and to provide special consideration for women and children when we have seats,” adding that flight volume was expected to surge.

Further complicating the administration’s claims of careful vetting was a separate admission from then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Appearing before the Senate in September 2021, he acknowledged that many Afghans were loaded onto outbound aircraft without any meaningful screening. When Sen. John Barrasso asked, “What percentage of [Afghans] were vetted before they actually got on those planes?” Blinken replied: “Before they got on their airplanes to leave Kabul? Certainly not, most of them were not.”

Taken together, these disclosures — shrugged off at the time as necessary in a moment of crisis — are now drawing renewed scrutiny as Americans demand to know how an individual admitted under those policies allegedly ended up attacking U.S. service members on American soil.

{Matzav.com}

Elon Musk is now openly admitting what industry observers have suspected for some time: other car manufacturers aren’t lining up to adopt Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system, even though he previously hinted that Tesla was pursuing serious licensing talks. This comes as federal regulators continue digging into troubling behavior linked to Tesla’s autonomous features — including reports that the software has blown through red lights and even failed to notice trains.

According to Electrek, Musk’s acknowledgment is a major reversal from his earlier boasts that major companies were exploring deals to use Tesla’s FSD software. For years, Musk has insisted that Tesla was ahead of the entire auto industry, and that rivals would inevitably rely on the company’s technology to catch up in the self-driving race.

But in a recent post on X, Musk said the conversations with legacy automakers have essentially fallen apart, and he blamed their demands for making collaboration impossible. “I’ve tried to warn them and even offered to license Tesla FSD, but they don’t want it! Crazy … When legacy auto does occasionally reach out, they tepidly discuss implementing FSD for a tiny program in 5 years with unworkable requirements for Tesla, so pointless.”

Musk’s comments pulled back the curtain on a clash of philosophies that has defined the autonomous-driving world. Tesla’s method has always centered on rapid rollout, pushing “beta” software to customers and learning from real-world use. Traditional automakers, in contrast, insist on a much slower and heavily documented validation process — the classic “V-model” approach — and they assume liability for the systems they approve.

The tension between these two worlds surfaced earlier this year when Ford’s Jim Farley brushed off the notion of using Tesla’s software and bluntly said that “Waymo is better.” His remark now appears to be a direct reference to the same stalled “major automaker” conversations Musk alluded to.

Concerns about Tesla’s technology have only grown as federal investigations pile up. Breitbart News previously reported troubling failures involving Tesla vehicles in FSD mode. One of the most alarming cases involved Alo Frigoli of North Texas, who said his Tesla almost plowed into a train when the software failed to register the danger at a railroad crossing. “It felt like it was going to run through the arms,” Frigoli said. “So obviously I just slammed on the brakes.” Footage from the vehicle supports his account, and further testing at the site produced the same dangerous behavior.

Other drivers report similar experiences. At least six Tesla owners using FSD have documented issues at rail crossings, and four have shared video evidence. Online groups dedicated to Tesla vehicles contain many additional accounts going back as far as mid-2023.

In October, Breitbart News detailed a separate federal inquiry into Tesla’s FSD, this one focusing on instances of reckless behavior the system allegedly performed on public roads. According to the NHTSA filing, crashes have occurred after Teslas ran red lights or drove the wrong way in traffic. Regulators highlighted six reports involving vehicles with FSD enabled that “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash” with other cars. Several happened at the same Maryland intersection, prompting Tesla to implement targeted fixes there.

As Musk now concedes that no major automaker is willing to stake its future on Tesla’s controversial self-driving software, the gap between his promises and the market’s response has never been clearer.

{Matzav.com}

The tragic death of 20-year-old National Guard member Sarah Beckstrom was confirmed on Thanksgiving evening, as President Trump shared the heartbreaking news during a holiday call with several military units.

“She’s just passed away. She’s no longer with us. She’s looking down at us right now,” Trump said, his voice heavy with emotion. “Incredible person, outstanding in every single way, in every department. Just horrible.”

Beckstrom had been clinging to life after suffering devastating gunshot wounds to the chest and head while on duty in Washington, DC. Despite being rushed into immediate surgery, her condition never improved.

Her father, Gary Beckstrom, realized the outcome was inevitable when he spoke with The New York Times that morning.

“I’m holding her hand right now,” he said quietly. “She has a mortal wound. It’s not going to be a recovery.”

Authorities had already warned that the consequences for the alleged gunman, 29-year-old Afghan refugee Rahmanullah Lakanwal, would escalate if either victim died. US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro had indicated that first-degree murder charges would be added upon the death of a National Guard member.

Lakanwal was subdued after a chaotic struggle in which one Guardsman used a pocket knife against him while another fired at the attacker. He had already been charged with multiple counts of assault with intent to kill and criminal possession of a weapon — charges that carry up to 15 years in prison. Now, with Beckstrom’s death, prosecutors are preparing an even more severe case.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has made her intentions unmistakable.
“Devastated. Please pray for Sarah. Pray for her family,” she wrote on X. “America will never forget her courage. There WILL BE JUSTICE for Sarah. Continue to pray for Andrew. Thank you to President Trump — the death penalty is back.”

Bondi also revealed that Beckstrom had volunteered to work on Thanksgiving specifically so that others could be home with their families — a gesture that now underscores the depth of her selflessness.

“She volunteered to be there on Thanksgiving — working today — she volunteered, as did many of those guardsmen and women, so other people could be home with their families,” Bondi said.

Beckstrom and her fellow Guardsman, 24-year-old Andrew Wolfe, had been sworn in just a day before the attack. Wolfe remains hospitalized after undergoing emergency surgery and is, according to Trump, “fighting for his life.”

“Hopefully, we’ll get better news with respect to him,” Trump added. “And the monster that did this is also in serious condition, but we won’t even talk about him.”

Investigators say Lakanwal allegedly lay in wait only blocks from the White House before ambushing the two service members with a .357 Smith and Wesson revolver. He was shot by responding Guard personnel.

Officials are treating the incident as a likely targeted act of terrorism. According to Pirro, Lakanwal drove cross-country from his home in Bellingham, Washington — where he lived with his wife and five children — before carrying out the attack.

Prior to coming to the United States, Lakanwal served in the Afghan Army in Kandahar, where he worked alongside US Special Forces.

{Matzav.com}

David Letterman used his return to the spotlight this week to unleash a fresh barrage of attacks on President Donald Trump, painting Trump as a “dictator” and branding his administration as “idiocy.”

The retired late-night host, who stepped away from television in 2015, joined The Barbara Gaines Show just days after Trump publicly ripped Seth Meyers, accusing the NBC host of having an “incurable case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

Trump had posted on Truth Social, “NBC’s Seth Meyers is suffering from an incurable case of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS). He was viewed last night in an uncontrollable rage, likely due to the fact that his ‘show’ is a Ratings DISASTER. Aside from everything else, Meyers has no talent, and NBC should fire him, IMMEDIATELY!”

Letterman, appearing on the podcast hosted by his longtime producer, immediately rushed to Meyers’ defense. Early in the conversation he praised the Late Night host, saying, “I’ve never been more proud of Seth Meyers. That’s our old show, as a matter of fact. Yeah, we used to do that show, and he does a magical job.”

At one point, Letterman even floated a bizarre suggestion that Meyers could be in physical danger, invoking the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. “But just remember Seth, things happen. You know what I’m saying,” he said.

As the episode wrapped, Letterman resumed his tirade, renewing his claims about the president. He declared that the Trump administration is “a wonder of idiocy,” referred to Trump as “our dictator,” and suggested that Trump intends to cling to power, saying, Trump is “not going anywhere.”

“It’s like 18 times the worst behavior one has witnessed ever anywhere,” Letterman said, escalating his rhetoric even further. “Think of the worst thing that you’ve ever seen humans accomplish. This is so much worse.”

{Matzav.com}

Apple is on track to overtake Samsung in worldwide smartphone shipments next year, positioning the company at the top of the global rankings for the first time in well over ten years, according to a newly released assessment.

Counterpoint Research’s latest outlook anticipates a 3.3% rise in smartphone shipments across the industry in 2025, with Apple responsible for a significant portion of that upward trend.

Demand for the next-generation iPhone 17 lineup is expected to drive a double-digit increase in Apple’s shipments, with projections showing a 10% year-over-year surge across major markets.

If those expectations hold, Counterpoint says Apple’s global share will reach 19.4% in 2025—high enough to reclaim the title of the world’s top smartphone maker for the first time since 2011.

Samsung, by contrast, is expected to see its shipments grow by 4.6% next year. Even with that increase, its share is projected to settle at 18.7%, marking the end of a long run in the No. 1 slot.

Senior analyst Yang Wang noted that more than just strong interest in the upcoming iPhone lineup is at play. “Beyond the highly positive market reception for the iPhone 17 series, the key driver behind the upgraded shipment outlook lies in the replacement cycle reaching its inflection point,” he explained.

Wang added that many customers who purchased devices during the pandemic buying boom are now ready to shift to newer models. “Consumers who purchased smartphones during the COVID-19 boom are now entering their upgrade phase. Furthermore, 358 million second-hand iPhones were sold between 2023 and Q2 2025. These users are also likely to upgrade to a new iPhone in the coming years.”

Counterpoint’s report suggests that the momentum behind Apple’s customer base will likely allow the company to maintain its regained lead throughout the remainder of the decade.

The analysis also highlights Samsung’s evolving strategy. In developing regions, the company is leaning heavily on its A series, which provides stronger specs at competitive prices. In more established markets, Samsung is focusing on strengthening its premium offerings to prevent additional market-share erosion.

As for Chinese smartphone makers, analysts expect them to push further into international markets to maintain growth. By expanding into more expensive tiers and adding higher-end capabilities, these companies hope to increase their profit margins.

Counterpoint concludes that such diversification should bolster the financial performance of Chinese brands, while their current global shipment rankings are projected to remain largely unchanged through 2029.

{Matzav.com}

The father of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last fallen Israeli hostage still held inside Gaza, voiced his dread on Thursday that his son may never be brought home. “We pray of course that he will not be another Ron Arad or [Hadar] Goldin,” Itzik Gvili told Kan news. “That we don’t drag it out for many more years.”

Gvili’s reference to Goldin and Arad underscores the haunting parallels he fears. Goldin, who fell in 2014 and whose remains were hidden in Gaza for more than ten years, was recently brought back to Israel. Arad, an IAF navigator captured in Lebanon in 1988 after ejecting from his plane, vanished without a trace and has never been recovered.

Master Sgt. Ran Gvili was killed while heroically confronting Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Alumim on October 7, 2023. His body was taken into Gaza by the attackers. Only two murdered hostages remain unreturned: Gvili and Thai agricultural worker Sudthisak Rinthalak, who was slain in Kibbutz Be’eri the same day.

Despite the anguish, the family pushes forward. “We’re moving forward because we have to,” Gvili’s father said. “Hamas says they’re looking for his body, but we don’t see any progress.”

He voiced frustration at the terror group’s claims. “They probably know where he is. They are playing games and deceiving us,” he remarked, though he provided no further detail.

Of the Israeli authorities, he added, “I know that they don’t know much” about where his son’s remains are located.

On Thursday, Al Jazeera reported renewed searches for a hostage’s body in Gaza’s Zeitoun neighborhood. The report was later confirmed to Kan by an Israeli military source.

Itzik Gvili worries that as nearly all other hostages have now been returned, public and governmental focus may drift. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has already announced that it will significantly scale down operations. “As far as I am concerned, until Ran comes back, he is alive,” he said. “I have nothing else to hope for. Perhaps there will be a miracle, and he will still be alive.”

Israel declared Ran Gvili dead in January 2024, based on intelligence assessments and collected evidence.

Having largely avoided the spotlight until now, his father said he intends to speak out more forcefully to ensure that his son’s case doesn’t fade from view. Calling Ran a “hero” for continuing to fight even after being wounded, he added, “Just like Ran didn’t forget the nation on that day, I don’t want the nation to forget him.”

Ran’s mother, Talik Gvili, told Ynet that this period was “an unsettling time” for the family. At the same time, she acknowledged being “happy that hostages returned and families are getting closure and can begin breathing again as much as possible.”

Talik said the family receives daily briefings from officials and knows that searches are taking place in the exact area where Ran’s body was taken. “We hope that they will find him,” she said, adding that she still prays for “a miracle” and imagines her son returning alive. “From the first day, I have been imagining him returning on his own two feet. It is hard, not easy to imagine something like that.”

She appealed for media attention to continue: she hopes journalists will “remain with us until everyone comes back.”

The ordeal continues even as other cases reach closure. On Tuesday, Hamas returned the body of Dror Or, whose identity was verified by forensic experts the following day.

Ran and the other hostages were among 251 people kidnapped when Hamas stormed Israel on October 7, 2023, murdering 1,200 people and igniting the war in Gaza.

Following a ceasefire agreement reached last month, Hamas and allied terror groups freed all surviving captives and subsequently released most of the bodies of the murdered—except for Gvili and Rinthalak.

Under the ceasefire deal, all deceased hostages must be returned. The terror groups now claim they cannot find the final two bodies despite repeated searches.

{Matzav.com}

According to a Wall Street Journal investigation, Iran has restored and expanded its financial lifeline to Hezbollah in Lebanon, channeling hundreds of millions of dollars over the past year through elaborate money-laundering routes centered in Dubai.

The report says that proceeds from Iranian oil sales are routed through an array of exchange houses, front companies, couriers, and aligned businessmen. These funds ultimately reach Lebanon through the Hawala method — a traditional system in which trusted individuals, not banks, serve as intermediaries for transferring money. The practice remains common across the Muslim world.

A senior official in the United Arab Emirates told the paper that the UAE is attempting to shut down such activity within its borders and is coordinating with global partners to curb the illicit networks.

Before the most recent war between Israel and Hezbollah, Iran had routinely funneled large cash shipments directly into Lebanon through the Beirut airport. That approach was curtailed as part of the November 2024 ceasefire terms, which were implemented exactly one year ago today.

Arab officials quoted in the report say Tehran has since adapted by sending more individual travelers into Lebanon, each carrying smaller sums or compact valuables that can be concealed easily. They also emphasized that Hezbollah continues to draw money from a variety of global revenue streams, including the drug trade and diamond smuggling.

The Journal also cites a senior US official who warned that Washington is increasingly troubled by the flow of Hezbollah-bound funds routed through Turkey and Iraq.

{Matzav.com}

Gazan nurse Tasneem al-Hams walked out of Israeli custody today, according to the Hamas-linked Prisoners’ Affairs Office, which announced her release and immediately framed it as part of a larger pressure campaign involving her father, senior Hamas health official Dr. Marwan al-Hams.

The Palestinian Center for Prisoner Advocacy had charged on Monday that Israel sought to leverage her detention to influence her father. Israel confirmed last week that Dr. al-Hams had been held since July as part of efforts to extract information on the fate of fallen IDF soldier Hadar Goldin, whose remains were brought back earlier this month under the Gaza ceasefire after more than a decade in Hamas hands.

Speaking after her release with Gaza City photographer Ahmed Marwan, Tasneem al-Hams described being seized last month by “the Israeli-backed, anti-Hamas Abu Shabab gang,” after which she said she was turned over to Israeli forces east of Khan Younis.

She detailed a month of transfers through several Israeli facilities — Ashkelon, Ramleh, Damon, and Megiddo — saying she was kept alone in a cell in Ashkelon and held among about fifty women during her time in Damon.

The Hamas-affiliated prisoners’ office had originally announced on October 2 that the young nurse, said to be in her twenties, was taken by a “five-member armed force” from what they described as a “medical point south of Khan Younis.”

Some Palestinian outlets previously claimed that she had already been freed earlier this month, but the prisoners’ office — quoting her brother — maintained that although Israel issued a November 16 release order, it was never carried out, and she remained in custody until today.

Her father, meanwhile, remains in Israeli detention. Dr. al-Hams, who oversees the field hospital division of the Hamas-run health ministry, was not included among the detainees Israel agreed to release under the temporary truce, a Hamas source said. His current whereabouts have not been disclosed.

{Matzav.com}

Members of the Yamas counterterror unit said they were compelled to shoot two suspects who appeared to be surrendering, insisting that the pair’s actions created a clear danger and violated the instructions given to them. The officers have maintained that the scene unfolded under rapidly changing circumstances that left little room for hesitation.

Military reporter Doron Kadosh of Galei Tzahal revealed details from the officers’ initial account, quoting them as saying: “When the terrorists came out, we began carrying out security clearance procedures on them (to ensure they did not pose a threat). We did not know if they were armed with a weapon or an explosive device. We began to give them orders to perform the clearance, and the terrorists acted contrary to what they were told. At a certain point, one of the terrorists decided to reenter the building, contrary to orders, and the other terrorist followed, and therefore they were both shot.”

The officers’ helmet-camera footage, which captured the event from multiple angles, is currently being reviewed. For now, the inquiry remains an internal operational investigation, led by unit commanders. Oversight of the case is expected to fall under the newly appointed Military Advocate General, Itai Ofir, once the preliminary review concludes.

Meanwhile, video recorded in Jenin spread quickly online, showing the two men stepping out of a building surrounded by Israeli forces, raising their arms, kneeling on the ground, and then being fired upon. The clip has fueled public debate about the sequence of events and the claims made by the soldiers.

The IDF issued a statement explaining the background of the operation: “Earlier this evening (Thursday), during an Israel Border Police and IDF operation in the area of Jenin, the forces operated to apprehend wanted individuals who had carried out terror activities, including hurling explosives and firing at security forces. The wanted individuals were affiliated with a terror network in the area of Jenin.”

According to the military’s description of the raid, “The forces entered the area, enclosed the structure in which the suspects were located, and initiated a surrender procedure that lasted several hours. Following the use of engineering tools on the structure, the two suspects exited. Following their exit, fire was directed toward the suspects.”

The army added that “the incident is under review by the commanders on the ground, and will be transferred to the relevant professional bodies.”

{Matzav.com}

A request filed by activists from Pelegh Yerushalmi was dismissed this week by the Bnei Brak Bais Din after the group sought to block elected officials from filing police complaints over recent incitement and threats.

The bais din’s senior dayanim made it clear in a written response that issues involving violence fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of state authorities—not a bais din.

The petition had been submitted to the Badatz of Bnei Brak, headed by Raavad Rav Yehuda Silman and Gaavad Rav Sariel Rosenberg. Activists demanded that the court prevent chareidi public representatives from going to civil courts and police over what they described as “incitement” against Members of Knesset in the lead-up to the draft law’s advancement.

In a formal letter released by the dayanim, the court firmly rejected the appeal.

“In regard to the recent rise in incidents of violence—both physical and verbal—directed at public representatives, and in response to questions as to why the bais din is not intervening, we clarify that the bais din does not deal with matters of violence, for which the proper avenue of response is through the authorities,” the letter stated.

A brief review of past rulings shows that the court based its response on a precedent issued by the bais din once led by Rav Nissim Karelitz zt”l. In that ruling, Rav Karelitz wrote unequivocally that when individuals engage in ongoing degradation of Gedolei Yisroel and the chareidi community, their conduct places them in the halachic category described in Choshen Mishpat 388:12—those who “cause distress to the public.” In such cases, Rav Karelitz ruled, it is permissible “to hand them over, imprison them, or fine them,” and therefore permitted bringing claims against them in civil courts.

Among the signatories to that earlier ruling are Rav Nissim Karelitz zt”l and Rav Dovid Zvi Ordentlich zt”l. A third signature stands out sharply in today’s context: that of Rav Zvi Friedman, a prominent figure within the Peleg Yerushalmi. He signed the ruling permitting recourse to civil courts—contradicting the faction’s present claim that the bais din must intervene to block such complaints.

Just yesterday, Shas and United Torah Judaism filed a police complaint against a senior Peleg Yerushalmi activist, Tzvi Roth, accusing him of grave incitement to violence and even hints of murder against chareidi Members of Knesset.

According to the complaint, harsh statements were broadcast on faction-affiliated phone hotlines, including comparisons to Nazis and references to physical harm and arson. Rot allegedly urged listeners “to view elected officials as enemies from within,” while discussing scenarios of attacks against them.

Chareidi parties say these statements reflect a dangerous escalation. “Recently we saw attempted lynching incidents and break-ins at the homes of MKs,” they said. “The line between protest and violence has been dangerously blurred.”

{Matzav.com}

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that prosecutors will aggressively seek capital punishment for the accused gunman who carried out the brazen Thanksgiving-eve ambush on two West Virginia National Guard members in downtown Washington.
“I will tell you early, we will do everything in our power to seek the death penalty against that monster who should not have been in our country,” Bondi told Fox News’ Fox & Friends.

The suspect, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal — whose past work with a CIA-backed counterterrorism unit in Afghanistan was confirmed by the agency — is already charged with multiple counts of assault with intent to kill as well as criminal possession of a weapon. Those alleged offenses carry a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

Federal prosecutors stressed that the case could escalate dramatically if either victim dies. US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro made the stakes clear:
“If one of them is to pass, and God forbid that happens, this is a murder-one. Period, end of the story,” Pirro explained.

Bondi, visibly furious, accused liberal politicians and commentators of fostering animosity toward National Guard personnel and called for an inquiry into whether their rhetoric played any role in inspiring the attack. She condemned what she characterized as a torrent of hostility aimed at the troops deployed to protect the capital following President Trump’s decision.
“It’s actually sad what our country has come to with these progressive left idiots who are doing this and saying this about our heroes who are keeping them safe,” Bondi contended.

She pointed out that several of those most vocal in denouncing Trump’s security measures have armed protection of their own, yet continue to malign the Guard’s mission.
“What these lawmakers are doing, what some of these news anchors on other networks are doing, what their guests are saying is disgusting, it’s despicable,” she said.
“They should be praising our men and women in law enforcement. We’re looking at everything they have said and why they said it and if they encouraged acts of violence.”

Authorities say Lakanwal arrived in the United States in 2021 under the “Operation Allies Welcome” initiative after being born in Afghanistan. On Wednesday afternoon, around 2:15 p.m. ET, he allegedly drove into Washington, stepped out just blocks from the White House, and opened fire on uniformed Guard troops.

The victims, Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolfe, 24, sustained devastating injuries. Beckstrom’s father told the New York Times that she has a “mortal wound,” adding:
“It’s not going to be a recovery.”

Officials said both soldiers have undergone surgery, but remain in critical condition. Investigators have labeled the shooting a “targeted attack” and believe Lakanwal traveled from Washington state specifically to carry it out.

FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday that there “is an ongoing investigation of terrorism, make no mistake about it.” President Trump also called the shooting “an act of terror.” During a press briefing, Pirro emphasized the severity of the assault:
“This was not just an attack; it was a direct challenge to law and order in our nation’s capital.”

Lakanwal had applied for asylum in December 2024 and received approval in April. CIA Director John Ratcliffe has acknowledged Lakanwal’s work with the agency but declined to share additional details. Veterans with #AfghanEvac say he served in the elite NDS-03 unit in Afghanistan, a group closely supported by US intelligence.

Ratcliffe has placed responsibility on the Biden administration for allowing Lakanwal into the country in the first place.
“In the wake of the disastrous Biden Withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden Administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. Government,” Ratcliffe said.
“This individual — and so many others — should have never been allowed to come here,” the CIA boss added. “Our citizens and servicemembers deserve far better than to endure the ongoing fallout from the Biden Administration’s catastrophic failures. God bless our brave troops.”

Following the attack, the Department of Homeland Security announced that Afghan immigration processing will be paused “indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols.”

{Matzav.com}

A group of Chariedi Israelis associated with the organization “Chalutzei HaBashan” crossed the Syrian border on Thursday in an effort to stake out land in the Golan Heights, prompting a swift IDF response and brief confrontations with soldiers.

According to reports, the group breached the border fence and entered Syrian territory, leading forces from the IDF’s 210th Division to launch a pursuit. Kan News reported that two separate incidents unfolded simultaneously—one in the central Golan and another near the Hermon region.

Initial information indicates that approximately eight Israeli civilians broke through the barrier and clashed with soldiers who attempted to stop them and detain them.

The IDF confirmed the events in an official statement: “IDF forces responded to both locations, and after a short time, the civilians were located. After some of them confronted the forces, they were safely returned to Israeli territory under IDF escort. The suspects who were apprehended were transferred to the Israel Police for further handling. The IDF strongly condemns the incident and emphasizes that this is a serious event constituting a criminal offense that endangers both the civilians involved and IDF forces.”

The individuals were taken into custody for questioning as security officials warn that such actions pose significant operational risks on a highly sensitive border.

The Shas movement has filed a defamation lawsuit against Yisroel Tropper, an activist associated with the Perel Yerushalmi faction, following comments he made during an interview on Channel 12 with journalist Rafi Reshef.

According to the party, Tropper falsely claimed that Rishon LeTzion Rav Yitzchok Yosef had “given in to severe criminal threats,” an allegation Shas says is baseless, inflammatory, and damaging to the standing of a senior member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah.

Shas announced that before moving forward, the party sought halachic guidance from its rabbinic leadership. Party officials said they consulted with rabbanim, dayanim, and poskim, who ruled that due to the frequent incidents of violence surrounding these issues, “the authorities will rule in this matter,” thereby granting Shas the space to pursue the matter through civil courts.

The lawsuit, submitted through attorney Yisroel Bach, accuses Tropper of presenting a “false and deceptive narrative” intended to undermine the legitimacy of the party’s spiritual leadership. The complaint notes that the comments were made only hours after the attempted lynching of MK Yoav Ben-Tzur, thereby giving Tropper’s statements “additional inciting force.”

In the interview, Tropper said, among other remarks: “I recommend that the chareidi Knesset members not walk near yeshiva bochurim these days — they are very angry.”

Shas argues that Tropper’s claims go beyond a personal attack on the Rishon LeTzion and amount to an effort to fabricate a narrative of internal chareidi violence. “The defendant knows full well that this is an absolute fabrication,” the lawsuit states.

In a statement, the party declared, “We will not remain silent in the face of disgrace to our rabbanim. Anyone who incites, spreads lies, and encourages violence will be held accountable and will pay the price.”

{Matzav.com}

CIA Director John Ratcliffe delivered a blistering assessment of the federal government’s handling of Afghan admissions after an Afghan national allegedly opened fire on two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., an attack he said “should never have been allowed to come here.”

Authorities say the suspect, 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, the Biden-era program that resettled Afghans who had worked with American forces. He later filed an asylum request in December 2024, which was granted four months later.

While Ratcliffe acknowledged that Lakanwal had previously worked alongside the CIA, his office declined to offer clarity on how he was screened before entering the U.S. Veterans affiliated with #AfghanEvac, a coalition that helped evacuate Afghan partners during the withdrawal, noted that Lakanwal had once been part of NDS-03 — a highly trained Afghan counterterrorism unit created and funded in partnership with the CIA and American special forces.

In a harsh denunciation of the administration’s actions, Ratcliffe argued that the collapse in Afghanistan and subsequent rushed admission process created dangerous openings. “In the wake of the disastrous Biden Withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden Administration justified bringing the alleged shooter to the United States in September 2021 due to his prior work with the U.S. Government, including CIA, as a member of a partner force in Kandahar, which ended shortly following the chaotic evacuation,” he said.

Ratcliffe went further, insisting that the attack was part of a broader pattern resulting from poor oversight. “This individual — and so many others — should have never been allowed to come here,” he said. “Our citizens and servicemembers deserve far better than to endure the ongoing fallout from the Biden Administration’s catastrophic failures. God bless our brave troops.”

The fallout prompted swift action from the Department of Homeland Security, which announced that it was freezing all Afghan-related immigration processing while security reviews are conducted. “This Afghan national was paroled in by the Biden Administration,” DHS said. “Regardless if his asylum was granted or not, this monster would not have been removed because of his parole.”

The agency said it is initiating a sweeping pause and reassessment. “Effective immediately, processing of all immigration requests relating to Afghan nationals is stopped indefinitely pending further review of security and vetting protocols,” the statement read. “The Trump Administration is also reviewing all asylum cases approved under the Biden Administration, which failed to vet these applicants on a massive scale.”

{Matzav.com}

A political firestorm broke out Thursday after Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth unveiled the latest version of his proposal to overhaul the military draft system for chareidim. Opposition parties immediately announced that they would fight the bill at every stage and prevent it from advancing.

Yoaz Hendel, head of the Reservists Party, blasted the proposal for its lax timetables and flexible recruitment targets. “The ‘new’ draft law that Bismuth is promoting is extremely lenient regarding the timing of enlistment and the quotas,” Hendel charged. “The text is yet another example of how governments that rely on non-Zionist parties are pressured into approving non-Zionist decisions.”

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett issued an unequivocal rejection of the legislation. “We will not let this go through,” he declared. Calling the moment “the ultimate test,” Bennett accused the government of deciding to push through what he labeled “the draft-dodging law” in its final readings. “This is the most anti-Zionist law ever legislated in our country’s history,” he said.

Bennett intensified his criticism, saying the plan amounted to “a declaration of war by the government on every reservist, every IDF soldier, and the entire serving public.” He vowed that Israelis “from every background—religious, secular, right, left—will unite and say no to the draft-dodging law.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid voiced similar outrage, warning that the legislation was an affront to those who serve. “We will not allow this anti-Zionist disgrace to pass,” he said. “We will not let them dishonor the fighters, the wounded, and the fallen like this. This is not a law—it’s pathetic politics by the corrupt and the shirkers at the expense of our children. Not happening, not possible, not passing.”

Criticism came not only from the opposition. Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, a former chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said the bill fails the most basic test of addressing national security needs. “As someone who has led the effort over the past two years to expand the IDF’s recruitment base, I say with deep regret: this is not a draft law,” he stated.

Referencing the trauma of October 7, Edelstein warned that the government had promised systemic change—and this bill delivers none of it. “Unlike the draft I proposed, the current version does not meet the IDF’s needs in any way,” he said. “It is yet another political band-aid instead of a historic law. We will not give up. We will fight to the end for a real draft law.”

Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel also announced she would oppose the bill, saying her commitment to national security requires independent judgment. “Blindly adopting legislation that harms security during wartime and undermines social cohesion will inflict grave long-term damage,” she said. “I will continue to fight for a draft framework that is fair, just, and real. In its current form, I will vote against it.”

United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchok Goldknopf stated that the position of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah remains unchanged: any arrangement must fully protect Torah study and avoid imposing sanctions on those learning full-time. He said the draft text released Thursday will be presented to the senior Torah leadership for review, and the party will act solely based on their ruling.

The Religious Zionism party said it is still analyzing the proposal. “Our guiding principle remains the same,” the party stated. “We will only support a law that ensures real and rapid enlistment of chareidim into the IDF to meet security needs and ease the burden on soldiers, reservists, and their families.”

{Matzav.com}

The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Thursday circulated the newest version of Israel’s draft law to committee members, revealing a series of tightened provisions added at the request of the committee’s legal advisers. The distribution is intended to allow formal discussions to begin at the start of next week.

Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth presented the release of the draft as the formal launch of the legislative process, stating: “This is it, we are moving forward with a balanced, responsible draft law that is good for the people of Israel. This law is not here to stabilize a coalition; it is here to stabilize a country.”

One of the most consequential changes is the hard definition and shortening of the law’s first year of implementation. Regardless of when the legislation ultimately passes, the first year will end on June 30, 2026. As a result, the first recruitment target—5,760 new draftees—will apply in just over six months.

The draft sets sharply rising recruitment targets for the years ahead: 6,840 in the second year, 7,920 in the third year, not fewer than 8,500 in the fourth year, and beginning in the fifth year, the enlistment of 50 percent of each annual cohort of graduates from the chareidi school system.

Another major revision dramatically narrows the civilian service track. Under the proposed changes, national service will be recognized only within security-related agencies such as the Israel Police, the Prison Service, the Shin Bet, and the Mossad. This removes the option of placement in general civilian institutions and ties alternative service exclusively to national security needs.

The law also introduces personal sanctions starting in the very first year. Individuals who do not meet the law’s requirements would lose eligibility for academic scholarships, and could also face restrictions on obtaining a driver’s license and limitations on traveling abroad. The draft replaces the previously planned involvement of a military rabbi with an officer from the IDF’s Manpower Directorate at the rank of lieutenant colonel, shifting oversight toward professional rather than sector-specific considerations.

Additional updates include narrowing the criteria for defining someone as chareidi for the purpose of recruitment calculations, eliminating the previously fixed quota for combat soldiers, and clarifying that license revocation would apply only to new draft evaders. Travel restrictions would apply only until the age of 23.

Debate on the draft is set to begin next week.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s inner-city commuters are bracing for yet another fare hike as government ministries remain locked in disagreement. The latest change, expected to take effect in January, would push the price of a single ride from 8 NIS to 9 NIS — the result of an ongoing standoff between Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Transportation Minister Miri Regev over where to slice the budget.

The looming increase comes just a short time after the government introduced its “Derech Shavah” initiative in 2022, which had originally slashed the price to 5.5 NIS. What was marketed as a major affordability reform has now become a sequence of rapid-fire fare shocks.

In under three years, the cost of a bus ride has climbed at a stunning pace. July 2024 saw prices rise to 6 NIS, and in April 2025 commuters were hit with a massive 45% jump that brought fares to 8 NIS. The upcoming boost to 9 NIS continues the steep upward trajectory.

Driving this pattern of increases is the effort to cover the expenses of the government’s “Transportation Justice” plan, which provides discounted transportation rates to roughly 80% of Israelis. To keep that program alive, Regev was compelled to sign off on raising fares and even to scrap funding that would have expanded routes and boosted frequency.

Although Regev has publicly expressed her opposition, officials in the Finance Ministry insist their hands are tied. They argue that “without budget cuts, the fare increases are inevitable.”

{Matzav.com}

A full year has passed since the understandings that halted hostilities between Israel and Lebanon took effect, and the IDF is outlining the sweeping scope of its operations during that period.

The ceasefire arrangements, which began on November 27, 2024, opened the door for an extensive IDF deployment inside Lebanon aimed at blocking Hezbollah from restoring its networks. Units from the Northern Command, alongside the 91st Division, have maintained a persistent presence across key areas as part of that mission.

Forces from the 810th Brigade, operating under the 210th Division, have been active throughout the Har Dov region inside Lebanon, balancing that front with their responsibilities across the Syrian border as well.

According to the IDF, enforcing the agreement demanded a steady tempo of field activity. Troops from the 769th Brigade, the 300th Brigade, and the Central Brigade—all subordinate to the 91st Division—executed roughly 1,200 focused missions over the past year.

Dozens of those missions were offensive, designed to remove terrorist infrastructure, impede efforts by Hezbollah operatives to monitor IDF movements, and weaken the group’s operational strength. Military officials say these actions significantly hindered Hezbollah’s ability to reassert its presence.

Throughout these operations, IDF units uncovered a substantial network of hostile assets: military buildings used by operatives for attacks, weapons depots, rocket-launching sites, launchers, and observation or firing positions.

The IDF says that the campaign also relied heavily on coordinated strikes. Led by the Northern Command, and working alongside the Israeli Air Force with intelligence guidance from the Intelligence Directorate, Israeli forces eliminated more than 370 terrorists belonging to Hezbollah, Hamas, and other Palestinian terror groups.

{Matzav.com}