Matzav

Rav Dovid Batzri, one of the senior mekubalim and rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat HaShalom in Yerushalayim, is hospitalized in serious condition at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, where he is sedated and on a ventilator.

Rav Batzri was admitted to the hospital several days ago, and while there had been some improvement in his condition last week, his health deteriorated sharply late Thursday night. Doctors were forced to sedate and intubate him, and he is now in need of extensive rachamei Shomayim.

Over Shabbos, several of Rav Batzri’s grandchildren remained at his side. On Motzaei Shabbos, his son, Rav Yitzchak Batzri, released a message from the entrance to the intensive care unit, making an emotional appeal to the public. Rav Yitzchak implored Klal Yisroel to daven for his father, stressing repeatedly that his condition is grave and that he urgently needs the tefillos of the Jewish people.

All are asked to daven for Dovid Shalom ben Victoria.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has brushed aside warnings from New York’s incoming mayor, signaling that a visit to the city remains firmly on his plans despite public threats of arrest.

Speaking in recent interviews, Netanyahu made clear that he is undeterred. He told the New York Times, “Yes, of course I will [come to New York],” and separately told Australian journalist Ein Molan that he is “not afraid” of Mamdani.

The comments come after mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani repeatedly claimed he would seek Netanyahu’s arrest should the Israeli leader enter New York City, pointing to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. Mamdani has accused Israel of war crimes during its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

In September, Mamdani articulated his position in stark terms, saying: “I think that our city should uphold the warrants that the International Criminal Court issues, whether for Benjamin Netanyahu or Vladimir Putin. Also, I am not Donald Trump. I will follow the laws as they are, not bend them to my will. We will pursue every legal avenue to make sure that accountability is present.”

US officials quickly pushed back, warning that a New York City mayor has no legal authority to detain a foreign head of government. Figures in the Trump Administration, along with New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, have cautioned that any such move would run afoul of federal law.

The latest exchange was sparked by a letter from Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, who invited Netanyahu to visit New York on January 1, 2026 — the day Mamdani is scheduled to take office. The New York Post described the invitation as a deliberate effort to needle the mayor-elect.

Netanyahu responded warmly to Vernikov, thanking her for the invitation and writing: “Even though I won’t be able to make it on that day, I assure you that I will visit New York soon. And I’d very much like to see you at that time.”

According to the New York Post, Netanyahu has privately indicated that a New York trip is expected in the near future, regardless of the political controversy surrounding his arrival.

{Matzav.com}

Sunday morning, during Rosh Chodesh tefillos, ushers at the Kosel plaza intercepted an effort by the Women of the Wall group to bring a Sefer Torah into the women’s section, an act prohibited under the site’s standing regulations.

According to officials on site, the Sefer Torah had been concealed inside the bag of an IDF reserve soldier accompanying the group. Security personnel asked to examine the bag, discovered the Sefer Torah, and promptly removed it from the plaza.

In response, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation sharply criticized the incident, saying: “We regret that the Women of the Wall group once again chose to exploit IDF soldiers in an attempt to violate the procedures in place at the Western Wall. As in the past, the group does not hesitate to employ provocative tactics that harm the sanctity of the site and the honor of the Torah scroll.

“The Western Wall Heritage Foundation embraces and honors IDF soldiers, both regular and reserve. The Western Wall will continue to serve as a place of prayer, strength, and comfort for them. During the recent Hanukkah holiday alone, thousands of IDF soldiers visited the Western Wall plaza to pray and give thanks at the holiest site of the Jewish people. The Foundation will continue to act to preserve the sanctity of the Western Wall, maintain proper order, and respect all visitors.”

The Women of the Wall, for its part, issued a statement pushing back against the enforcement action, declaring: “On Hanukkah, the holiday commemorating the Maccabees’ struggle for religious freedom, women are still denied religious freedom and the ability to practice their faith at the Western Wall. This situation is an absurdity under the authority of the Western Wall rabbi.”

{Matzav.com}

The brother-in-law of a man murdered in the Sydney terror attack traveled to a local hospital to personally thank the Muslim hero who stopped one of the attackers and helped save lives.

Rabbi Mendel Kastel, whose brother-in-law, Rabbi Eli Schlanger Hy”d, was murdered in the attack, visited Ahmed al-Ahmed, a Syrian-born Muslim who confronted and neutralized one of the terrorists during the assault. Also present was Sam Issa, Ahmed’s attorney.

Speaking to Ahmed as he lay in his hospital bed, his arm in a cast, Rabbi Kastel expressed deep gratitude. “Thank you, not only for saving lives, but for your courage,” he said. “The fact that you come not from a Jewish background but from a Muslim background makes this especially meaningful. Truly, thank you.”

Ahmed responded simply: “Exactly. We are all brothers. We are all human beings.”

Rabbi Kastel replied, “We have no words.”

Ahmed added that the visit itself meant a great deal to him. “The fact that you came here to visit is meaningful to me,” he said. “No matter what happens, we are all human beings. It doesn’t matter which religion. We must stand together and save lives.”

During the visit, Rabbi Kastel introduced his brother Zalman and presented Ahmed with a deeply personal gift. He explained that within the Jewish community, the Lubavitcher Rebbe would distribute a dollar to individuals every Sunday, encouraging them to give another dollar to charity. “I want to give you a dollar that the Rebbe gave me in 1988,” Rabbi Kastel said.

Ahmed responded with humility. “We are all human beings, and it is important to save lives,” he said. “I was simply walking with my cousin to buy something and get a haircut, but God sent me to save lives.”

Sam Issa, Ahmed’s attorney, provided an update on his condition. “He is stable but in pain,” Issa said. “He was shot four times in his left arm and lost sensation. He is expected to undergo several surgeries, one of them today. Despite the pain, his spirits are good.”

Issa added that Ahmed told him he would act the same way again. “He said that despite the pain, despite everything he went through and the surgeries ahead, he would do it again, because he knows he saved many lives.”

{Matzav.com}

Calls for the resignation of Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez intensified after he circulated a series of antisemitic conspiracy theories online, including a claim that a deadly attack in Australia was staged. The allegations were first reported by Richmondside.

Among the content Martinez shared on his LinkedIn account was a repost from a Palestinian Arab academic suggesting—without evidence—that the massacre of 15 people at a Hanukkah-related gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach was a “false flag” operation and may have been carried out by an IDF soldier.

One of the posts amplified by Martinez asserted that “paid actors have a history of carrying out the false flag, anti-Jewish attacks in Australia then blaming others.” Another claimed that “the root cause of antisemitism is the behavior of Israel & Israelis.”

The Bay Area chapter of the Jewish Community Relations Council sharply rebuked the mayor, sending a letter to media outlets accusing him of spreading hateful falsehoods. The group said Martinez “posted repeatedly on LinkedIn spreading false conspiracies blaming Jews for the Bondi Beach terror attack.”

“Such rhetoric is dangerously antisemitic, deeply offensive, and wholly unacceptable – particularly coming from a sitting mayor,” the JCRC wrote. “Words from public officials carry weight and when those words echo antisemitic tropes they place people at risk.”

In the wake of the backlash, Martinez removed the posts and issued a public apology on LinkedIn. “I want to apologize for sharing my previous posts without thinking. Of course we know that antisemitism was here before the creation of the state of Israel. As I’ve said many times before, we should not conflate Zionism with Judaism. They are two separate beliefs.”

Critics, however, said the apology fell far short. Former Los Angeles City Council candidate Sam Yebri told the New York Post that “Martinez has consistently and repeatedly trafficked in the worst antisemitism imaginable, and now has put the lives of his Jewish constituents in jeopardy.”

A Richmond rabbi also spoke to the Post, warning that “what we’re seeing is not legitimate criticism of Israeli policy. It’s hatred of Jews. And that’s where this road leads.”

The controversy is not Martinez’s first. He has previously drawn criticism over antisemitic behavior, including an August appearance in which he delivered a speech while wearing a hat emblazoned with the acronym “DDTTIDF,” standing for “Death, Death to the IDF,” further fueling concerns about a pattern of conduct.

{Matzav.com}

Salim Hamdani, a Jewish merchant from Damascus who was recently detained by Syrian authorities, is expected to be released within several days, according to representatives of Syria’s Jewish community.

Alaa al-Din Kharoub, the official authorized to handle matters related to the Jewish community in Syria, said over the weekend in an interview with the Syrian channel Al-Yawm that Hamdani is likely to be freed on bail within three to four days at most, pending legal proceedings, and will be able to return to his shop. The report was cited by Kan 11 correspondent Roi Kais.

Kharoub said that the detention stemmed from accusations made by another individual arrested by the authorities, who attributed suspicions to Hamdani because he is a longtime merchant and a member of the Jewish community—claims that were later found to be inaccurate. Nevertheless, he stressed, “the court will have the final say.”

According to Kharoub, Hamdani’s case is currently being handled by an investigative judge in Damascus. Following efforts by the Jewish community, Hamdani’s family appointed a private attorney to represent him, working under the supervision of the community’s legal counsel. Kharoub expressed hope that Hamdani’s health condition would be taken into account during his detention.

Kharoub also thanked Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab for what he described as a professional investigation, and said he is confident that the judge handling the case will be allowed to act independently and that the judicial process will remain free of political interference. He added that the Syrian Jewish community is working to ensure there is no outside involvement in the matter, emphasizing that it is an internal Syrian legal issue.

As previously reported, Hamdani—one of the few remaining members of Syria’s small Jewish community—was arrested last week by Syrian security forces. He owns a shop in the Old City of Damascus, and according to Syrian sources familiar with the case, the grounds for his arrest involve allegations of illegal trade in antiquities.

Security forces reportedly raided Hamdani’s store, confiscated several archaeological items that were on display, and then took him into custody. He was transferred to a police station in the capital, where he has been under interrogation since.

The incident is considered unusual, coming at a time when Syria’s new leadership has recently made visible efforts to project a more tolerant attitude toward the country’s Jewish community. In recent months, the government has even invited delegations of Syrian Jews—primarily from the United States—to visit their former homeland.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] The first large-scale Turning Point USA conference held after the killing of founder Charlie Kirk exposed deep fractures within the conservative movement, with Israel emerging as the central fault line and accusations of antisemitism dominating the stage in Phoenix.

Even before Kirk’s death, tensions had been simmering. He had at times voiced doubts about U.S. support for certain Israeli policies, a position that now looms larger as rival factions argue over his legacy and direction.

Those divisions exploded over two days as prominent figures associated with the Make America Great Again movement publicly turned on one another, accusing rivals of dishonoring Kirk’s memory or, alternatively, of legitimizing extremists.

Ben Shapiro ignited the clash early, condemning Tucker Carlson for hosting self-described white nationalist Nick Fuentes. Shapiro said Carlson’s decision to give Fuentes airtime amounted to “an act of moral imbecility.”

Returning to the subject again days later, Shapiro escalated his rhetoric, arguing that Carlson never should have amplified Fuentes, whom he described as “a Hitler apologist, Nazi-loving, anti-American piece of refuse.”

According to Shapiro, Kirk himself had been fiercely opposed to Fuentes. “He knew that Nick Fuentes is an evil troll and that building him up is an act of moral imbecility, and that is precisely what Tucker Carlson did.”

Shapiro broadened his criticism to other conservative figures, including Megyn Kelly, accusing them of failing to confront voices like Candace Owens, whom he said regularly promotes conspiracy theories, many of them antisemitic.

Owens has claimed, without evidence, that Israeli intelligence had a hand in Kirk’s killing and that those close to him betrayed him, allegations flatly contradicted by authorities, who say the suspect acted alone.

Owens, who commands an audience of 5.7 million subscribers on YouTube, is also embroiled in a legal dispute with French President Emmanuel Macron over her assertion that his wife, Brigitte, is actually a man.

Addressing the broader movement, Shapiro warned, “The conservative movement is also in danger from charlatans who claim to speak in the name of principle but actually traffic in conspiracism and dishonesty.” He added, “Those of us with a microphone have a moral obligation to call that out by name.”

Owens fired back the following day on X, writing that “Every time Ben speaks I feel more certain Israel is involved in [Kirk’s killing].”

She doubled down with another post, claiming, “Ben only cares about Israel’s interests. So Israel is involved.”

Carlson responded from the conference stage hours later, ridiculing Shapiro’s comments as an attack on free speech and arguing that such calls would have offended Kirk’s values.

“Deplatforming and denouncing people at a Charlie Kirk event. I’m like, what? It’s hilarious,” Carlson told attendees.

He rejected accusations of antisemitism, saying it was immoral to judge people based on how they were born, but then minimized the scope of anti-Jewish hatred by comparing it to discrimination against white men.

“That is racism that is precisely as bad as antisemitism, but it is much more widespread and has been so far much more damaging,” Carlson said.

Carlson also brushed off suggestions of a looming internal rupture, calling talk of a civil war within Trump-aligned politics “totally fake” and suggesting it was being promoted to block Vice President JD Vance from becoming the party’s future leader.

The dispute continued after the conference. Steve Bannon, speaking a day later, accused Shapiro of attempting to dominate Turning Point USA while advancing Israel’s priorities over those of the United States, according to NBC News.

“Ben Shapiro is like a cancer, and that cancer spreads,” Bannon declared to loud applause.

Calling the conflict “a proxy on ’28,” Bannon, who served as a senior adviser to President Trump during the 2016 campaign, said Kirk had rejected “this concept of greater Israel and Israel first,” NBC News reported.

Kelly also acknowledged the internal strife, telling conservative activist Jack Posobiec during a conference discussion that “there was a rift even before we lost Charlie… and it revolves around Israel,” according to NBC News.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

A Chanukah message from New York City’s mayor-elect set off a wave of reactions online this weekend after he released a carefully produced Chanukah video featuring actor Mandy Patinkin and his family.

The more than three-minute clip, posted today, shows Zohran Mamdani spending time at Patinkin’s New York home during the first night of Chanukah last week. The video depicts the mayor-elect cooking latkes, joining in Hebrew prayers, and taking part in the candle lighting alongside Patinkin, his wife Kathryn Grody, and other family members.

Mamdani, a pro-Palestine socialist whose outspoken anti-Zionist positions have made his relationship with much of the city’s Jewish community contentious, appears relaxed and cheerful throughout the footage as the group marks the Festival of Lights together.

At the start of the video, Patinkin theatrically reacts to Mamdani’s arrival, calling out, “It’s the mayor! What are you doing here?” while looking directly at the camera in what many viewers saw as a deliberately staged moment.

Later in the segment, Mamdani offers a brief toast, saying, “Here’s to more light,” as the candles burn. Patinkin responds with his own remark before the group sits down to eat, telling Mamdani, “You’re mayoral tenure or whatever it’s called has now been blessed.”

Mamdani also shared the video on X, writing, “It was such a joy to celebrate Hanukkah with Mandy, Kathryn and their son, Gideon.” In the same post, he added a broader holiday message to city residents: “As Jewish New Yorkers across our city prepare to light candles and mark the seventh night today, I wish you and your families a Hanukkah full of light and love.”

Reaction online was sharply divided. While some commenters praised the message and welcomed the gesture, others dismissed it as insincere and overly performative.

“This has ‘I’m not [anti-Semitic] some of my best friends are Jews’ vibes,” one follower wrote.

Another commenter was more blunt, saying, “Man, he will do anything to make New Yorkers think he supports the Jewish community.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Openly dodging subway fares has become a sport, carried out in plain sight and with little concern for consequences. Riders slip past turnstiles, duck beneath bars, or vault over obstacles designed to stop them, all while the transit authority continues to invest heavily in devices that do little to deter the behavior, the NY Post.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority this week approved another contract with Boyce Technologies to expand the use of plastic-and-metal “sleeves” and tall vertical “fins” at station entrances. By January, those fixtures are expected to be installed in 456 of the city’s 472 subway stations, even though many riders say they are easily defeated.

The equipment is already in place at 327 stations, and finishing the rollout will require another $7.3 million. The result, critics argue, is not meaningful enforcement but the appearance of action.

Observers say the structures fail to stop anyone determined not to pay. Video and firsthand accounts show riders twisting under bars or stepping over them with ease, a practice that has only become more common since the devices began appearing earlier this year.

An MTA employee acknowledged as much, saying, “Oh they’re going over, and we’ve got the spikes here. Nothing will stop them.”

Musician Kevin Lightfoot summed up the situation after swiping his own fare, telling The NY Post, “Homies are coming through the whole night.”

Despite that reality, the agency recently abandoned a proposed $1 million study that would have examined the psychology behind fare evasion, leaving unanswered questions about why people feel emboldened to skip payment.

Some critics argue that the simplest solution is enforcement: arrests, fines, and visible consequences that make evasion more trouble than it’s worth. Without that, they say, rule-breaking becomes normalized.

Opponents of tougher enforcement often claim it would disproportionately affect people who cannot afford the fare. Others counter that this explanation does not square with what is visible every day underground, where well-dressed commuters carrying expensive phones and accessories bypass the turnstiles rather than pay $2.90 — a fare set to rise to $3 on January 4.

One recent example involved a sharply dressed couple at Herald Square who effortlessly climbed over a turnstile together, turning fare evasion into what looked like a choreographed routine. With no one stopping them, they walked off having saved the price of admission to the subway.

The absence of enforcement, critics say, does more than drain revenue. It creates resentment among those who pay, and it contributes to an atmosphere in which other underground crimes can flourish. When rules appear optional, compliance erodes.

That sense of impunity is reflected online as well. In a widely shared video on X, a woman openly demonstrates her method for skipping the fare.

“Some people, when taking the train, pay their $2.90 or they hop the turnstile. Me, on the other hand, a 6-foot-2 stallion, simply just steps over the turnstile … ,” she says before doing exactly that.

She goes on to dismiss the presence of MTA station staff, claiming they have no authority and should not be feared. “I look them directly in the eye and I will hop right over, no issues,” she adds.

The video includes one notable caveat. “Obviously, if there are cops that’s another story,” she concedes.

That acknowledgment, critics argue, highlights the core issue: fare beaters themselves recognize that police enforcement would change behavior. Instead, the city continues to pour public money into hardware that does little to stop them, allowing the practice to continue largely unchecked.

{Matzav.com}

Thousands of Israelis received a suspicious text message on their mobile phones on Thursday, apparently originating from the Islamic Republic, inviting them to work with Iranian intelligence agencies.

The message, written in English, read: “Iranian intelligence agencies are ready to receive your intelligence cooperation. To cooperate, contact one of the Iranian embassies via the internet.”

Israel’s National Cyber Directorate said it was aware of the message and issued clear instructions to the public.

Against the backdrop of more than 30 espionage-related cases exposed by the Shin Bet security agency over the past two-and-a-half years, Israeli security officials say Tehran has been carrying out widespread “spray and pray” recruitment efforts online. These attempts target normative citizens and span a broad range of sectors across Israeli society.

Investigations and indictments show that the overwhelming majority of Israelis involved were aware they were cooperating with Iran. In many cases, the initial approach was made directly through social media platforms, with messages such as: “Hello, this is Iranian intelligence. You can help us and we will help you in return for money.”

According to the indictments, Israelis who established contact with Iranian handlers often began with tasks they perceived as harmless, such as photographing streets and signs or vandalizing vehicles. Over time, however, they were directed to carry out serious security-related missions. These included photographing the streets near the homes of public figures, reaching hospitals where prominent individuals were being treated, and attempts to obtain weapons.

Israeli security officials stress that raising public awareness of the consequences of cooperating with Iranian elements, and the severe harm such ties pose to national security, is essential. The goal, they say, is to ensure that Israelis who receive suspicious approaches online or from Iranian sources understand the gravity of their actions and the seriousness of such contact with an enemy state.

Ongoing dialogue is being held with local authorities to strengthen public awareness and resilience in light of the many cases uncovered. Several months ago, Israel’s National Public Diplomacy Directorate launched a broad public campaign highlighting the dangers and consequences of establishing contact with hostile Iranian elements.

The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) reported a 200% increase from 2024 to 2025 in counter-espionage prevention activity carried out by its counter-terrorism and counterintelligence division. This has involved dozens of cases, including warning calls, arrests and interrogations.

There has also been a rise of more than 30% in the number of arrests and investigations related to Iranian espionage between 2024 and 2025. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s police oversight authority has opened a review into an incident in Yerushalayim in which a Yasam riot police officer was filmed striking yeshiva bochurim with a baton, according to a spokesperson.

The probe is being handled by the Department for Internal Police Investigations, a body within the Justice Ministry tasked with conducting criminal investigations of police officers. A spokesperson confirmed that footage related to the incident has been received and is under examination. “There were a number of videos submitted for review by DIPI,” the spokesperson said, confirming an earlier report by i24 News.

Video clips that began circulating last week appear to show an armored officer repeatedly hitting several young chareidi men, forcing them up a staircase and into a building amid unrest in the capital.

The confrontation unfolded on Thursday, when hundreds of young chareidi men clashed with police in Yerushalayim. Thirteen officers were injured, and a police cruiser was overturned during the disturbances.

Police said the violence erupted after a municipal inspector issuing parking tickets was attacked. According to authorities, two young chareidi men assaulted the inspector, kicking him and threatening his life, telling him they would “slaughter” him if he returned to the area. Officers responding to the call arrested one of the suspects, which angered residents. A crowd then gathered in an effort to free the detainee, and the situation rapidly escalated into rioting.

Hebrew-language media reported that officers identified the assailants as draft dodgers and attempted to transfer them to the Military Police. In official statements, police said the unrest stemmed from the parking ticket incident.

During the clashes, police deployed stun grenades and tear gas to disperse demonstrators.

Asked to comment on the events, a spokesperson for United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzchak Goldknopf shared the video of the officer striking rioters and said only, “We saw this.”

The investigation was first reported by The Times of Israel, citing the Justice Ministry unit responsible for oversight of police conduct.

{Matzav.com}

It is with great sadness that Matzav.comreports the petirah of Mrs. Malky Mitnick a”h of Flatbush.

Mrs. Mitnick was the wife of Rav Mordechai Mitnick and the daughter of Rav Elya Kanarek, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Ohr Hameir of Peekskill.

From her home and from her classrooms, she embodied the finest hashkafos of a Torah life infused with warmth, responsibility, and purpose.

Mrs. Mitnick served as the principal of Lev Bais Yaakov of Flatbush, where she was a true mechaneches, deeply invested in the spiritual and emotional growth of every talmidah entrusted to her care. With clarity, dignity, and unwavering values, she guided her students not only in their studies, but in how to live lives rooted in yiras Shamayim, refinement, and emunah.

Those who worked with her recall a woman of uncommon insight and resolve, whose leadership was marked by thoughtfulness and whose influence was felt long after a conversation ended. She understood the sacred responsibility of educating young bnos Yisroel and approached her role with a sense of mission, instilling confidence, self-respect, and a deep connection to Torah and mesorah.

Mrs. Mitnick leaves behind her husband, her family, talmidos, and countless admirers who were shaped by her guidance and inspired by her integrity. Her passing leaves a void that will be deeply felt.

The levayah will take place tomorrow at Shomrei Hadas Chapels in Boro Park, with kevurah in Eretz Yisroel.

Yehi zichrah baruch.

{Matzav.com}

The United States carried out an extensive wave of military strikes across Syria on Friday, hitting dozens of Islamic State-linked sites in response to a deadly assault on American personnel, according to US officials.

US Central Command said the operation struck more than 70 locations across central Syria, with Jordanian fighter jets assisting in the mission. A US official said the attacks involved F-15 and A-10 aircraft, Apache helicopters, and HIMARS rocket systems.

The strikes followed an attack last weekend in which two US Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in the central Syrian city of Palmyra. According to the US military, the assailant targeted a convoy of American and Syrian forces before being shot and killed. Three additional US soldiers were wounded.

The Syrian Interior Ministry later identified the attacker as a member of Syria’s security forces who was suspected of sympathizing with Islamic State.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation focused on “ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites” and confirmed that the mission was designated “OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE.”

“This is not the beginning of a war — it ⁠is a declaration of vengeance,” Hegseth said. “Today, we hunted and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue,” he added.

President Donald Trump said in a social media post that the Syrian government fully backed the US action and described the response as “very serious retaliation.”

Speaking later Friday night at a rally in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Trump characterized the strikes as a significant blow against those responsible for the December 13 attack on coalition forces. “We hit the ISIS thugs in Syria. … It was very successful,” Trump said.

A US-led coalition has intensified air and ground operations against Islamic State suspects in Syria in recent months, frequently coordinating with Syrian security forces as part of a broader effort to prevent the group from regrouping.

Jordan’s military confirmed its involvement, with state-owned television reporting Saturday that Jordanian aircraft struck Islamic State-affiliated sites in southern Syria as part of Amman’s cooperation with the coalition.

Syria’s Foreign Ministry said the government remains committed to fighting Islamic State and ensuring that the group has “no safe havens on Syrian territory.”

Roughly 1,000 US troops are currently deployed in Syria.

Syria’s current leadership emerged from former rebel factions that overthrew Bashar al-Assad last year after a 13-year civil war. The government includes figures linked to Syria’s former al-Qaeda branch, which later broke away and fought Islamic State.

Damascus has continued to cooperate with the US-led coalition against ISIS, formalizing that coordination last month during a visit to the White House by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is expected to raise the possibility of renewed military action against Iran when he meets with President Donald Trump later this month, according to a report published today by NBC News, citing multiple officials familiar with the matter.

Sources told NBC that Israeli leaders are increasingly alarmed by what they see as Iran’s rapid efforts to restore and expand its ballistic missile manufacturing capabilities following the 12-day war between the two countries in June. Israeli officials reportedly believe that if left unchallenged, Iran could scale up missile production to as many as 3,000 units per month.

Those missiles, officials assess, would not only pose a direct threat to Israel but could also serve as a strategic shield, deterring Israeli action against Iran’s regional proxies or any renewed effort to strike Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure.

While Israel has long described Iran’s nuclear ambitions as an existential danger, officials quoted in the report said missile development is currently viewed as the more immediate threat.

“The nuclear weapons program is very concerning. There’s an attempt to reconstitute. [But] it’s not that immediate,” a source with knowledge of Israel’s plans told NBC News.

“The threat of the missiles is very real, and we weren’t able to prevent them all last time,” another source said.

Netanyahu and Trump are slated to meet at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida toward the end of the month. According to NBC, Netanyahu may use the meeting to outline several possible military scenarios, similar to options he has previously presented to the US president.

Those options were detailed earlier this week in a Washington Post report, which said the two leaders discussed potential strikes on Iran as early as February, during their first meeting after Trump’s return to office. At that time, Netanyahu reportedly laid out four possible approaches: a fully Israeli strike, an Israeli-led operation with limited US support, a joint Israeli-American attack, or a US-led assault.

NBC reported that a comparable menu of options could again be placed before Trump during the Florida meeting.

Israeli concerns are also fueled by intelligence assessments that Iran may attempt to leverage its missile arsenal to accelerate the rebuilding of its nuclear enrichment program, which suffered significant damage during the June conflict. That war saw Israel target Iran’s nuclear facilities, missile production sites, and senior figures connected to those programs, with the United States joining in the final days to strike hardened underground nuclear installations.

Iran has said that more than 1,000 people were killed by Israeli strikes during the fighting. Tehran responded by firing over 500 ballistic missiles and launching roughly 1,100 drones at Israel. According to Israeli health authorities, those attacks killed 32 people, wounded more than 3,000, and caused widespread destruction across multiple cities, leaving more than 13,000 residents displaced.

Despite the scale of the strikes, assessments of the damage to Iran’s nuclear program vary. Trump has said the program was “obliterated” by US action, while American and Israeli intelligence agencies have offered more restrained evaluations, suggesting Iran’s capabilities were set back by months or years, but not eliminated entirely.

David Barnea, the outgoing head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, warned this week that Tehran remains intent on reviving its nuclear ambitions.

“The idea of continuing to develop a nuclear bomb still beats in their hearts. We bear responsibility to ensure that the nuclear project, which has been gravely damaged, in close cooperation with the Americans, will never be activated,” he said.

The White House responded to the NBC report by reiterating Trump’s position on Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Spokesperson Anna Kelly said: “As President Trump has said, if Iran pursued a nuclear weapon, that site would be attacked and would be wiped out before they even got close.”

Israel declined to comment directly on the report, and the Iranian mission to the United Nations also offered no response.

Iran continues to deny that it is seeking nuclear weapons, even as it enriches uranium at levels with no civilian justification, restricts international inspections, and expands its missile program. When the June war began, Israel said Iran had recently taken concrete steps toward weaponization, heightening fears in Jerusalem that the window for action could narrow quickly.

{Matzav.com}

By Jonathan S. Tobin

Intense scrutiny comes with high office.

So when someone like Vice President JD Vance makes a statement in an interview or posts a comment on social media about a hot topic, it inevitably becomes news. And when that topic is especially controversial—antisemitism, for instance—and he’s made little or no effort not to get mired in it, anything he winds up saying or writing is likely to feed speculation about where he really stands.

And that has been the case of late. When Vance denied that Jew-hatred is “exploding” among young conservatives in an interview with NBC News and then engaged in an exchange on X with an Israel-bashing white nationalist who uses antisemitic tropes, as he has done in the last two weeks, it’s far from unreasonable to wonder about his motives.

But there’s more to it than that. Vance is the current frontrunner for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. That fuels the belief that his every action is calculated to enhance his chances of being President Donald Trump’s successor.

An antisemitism problem

Fair or not, and though he and his supporters would deny it, that means he now has an antisemitism problem.

Any discussion about the vice president—and the question of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel bigotry—starts with his apparently unbreakable ties with Tucker Carlson. The former Fox News host and current far-right podcaster is, by all accounts, a good friend of Vance. In fact, he owes Carlson a debt of gratitude. Carlson was a significant booster of Vance’s successful campaign for an Ohio U.S. Senate seat in 2022 and then reportedly played a decisive role in persuading Trump to choose him as his running mate in 2024.

When Carlson hosted faux historian and Holocaust denier Daryl Cooper on his podcast just weeks after Vance was tapped for vice president, what followed was significant. Not only did Vance not disassociate himself from Carlson. Instead, he kept a commitment to appear with him on one of the political commentator’s live shows, which, for all intents and purposes, turned out to be a Republican campaign rally.

Flash-forward a year later, and Carlson’s flirtation with antisemitism and Israel-bashing has turned into a full-blown obsession. Vance’s buddy seems to platform virtually anyone who will demonize Israel, including floating antisemitic blood libels about its war against Hamas in Gaza or opposing efforts to stop the nuclear threat from Iran. After his chummy interview with “groyper” Nick Fuentes—a self-avowed neo-Nazi—and his attacks on Christian Zionists and even the idea of a Judeo-Christian heritage, there’s no denying that he’s become the most dangerous antisemite in the country.

But for Vance and some other increasingly disreputable voices on the right, like podcaster Megyn Kelly, the priority is protecting their friendship with Carlson. Given that distancing himself from a conservative movement that has a lot at stake in the success of the Trump administration and in the failure of the Democrats to win back the White House in 2028, Vance’s decision to stick with his friend must be seen as significant.

A crisis among young Zoomers

That’s the context for the dustup about Vance’s denial of the growing antisemitism problem on the right. That comment was enough to feed the controversy. But it only grew after he decided to engage in a back-and-forth with Sarah Stock, another person with a problematic record on Jew-hatred, and, oddly enough, to do it on the same evening that he was hosting a Chanukah party at the vice-presidential residence in Washington.

That Vance would deny that antisemitism is “exploding” among young conservatives is perhaps to be expected. But after the Fuentes interview and the subsequent blow-up at the Heritage Foundation, when its president, Kevin Roberts, refused to disavow Carlson and the growing belief that a sizable percentage of young conservatives are following the groypers, that’s no longer a credible position.

Writer Rod Dreher wrote that he was told that 30% to 40% of Zoomers who work for the administration or Republicans in Washington these days are fans of Fuentes. Heritage vice president Victoria Coates told me in an interview on my “Think Twice” podcast that she fears the true number might be double that.

The situation on the right might not be as dire as that on the left, where the intersectional base of the Democratic Party is clearly hostile to Israel and has accepted blood libels about it committing “genocide” in Gaza. But if the true number of Fuentes followers among young conservatives is even half of either Dreher’s or Coates’s estimates, then there’s no denying that the right has a crisis that needs to be acknowledged.

Indeed, a Manhattan Institute poll published earlier this month showed that some 17% of Republicans are “anti-Jewish” and hold views that encompass Holocaust denial or the left-wing myth about Israel being a “settler-colonial” state that has no right to exist. Those numbers are far higher among younger GOP voters and minorities.

Anti-Zionism and antisemitism

Vance’s exchange with Stock was equally problematic.

The vice president was partially correct. One can criticize Israeli policies without being antisemitic. After all, 10 million Israelis do it every day on one issue or another, just as 340 million Americans find fault with their government.

The problem is that the “criticism” being voiced and the attitudes that have surfaced in the Manhattan Institute poll reflect the spread of pro-Hamas propaganda that delegitimizes the Jewish state and treats its justified war of self-defense after the Oct. 7 attacks as genocide. In the current context, talk of “not liking” Israel isn’t an innocent opinion about not being enamored with the weather in Tel Aviv. It’s invariably the product of some of the lies being platformed on Carlson’s show and even on more extreme venues, such as what is heard on the podcasts of Fuentes or the unhinged conspiracy theorist Candace Owens.

More to the point, language such as that used by the vice president can be interpreted as maintaining the entirely fictional distinction between antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Anti-Zionists may claim not be antisemitic, but that is a distinction without a difference.

To deny the Jews, alone of all the peoples in the world, the right to live in peace, security and sovereignty in their ancient homeland is not an assessment about which reasonable people should be expected to agree to disagree.

To support the elimination of the one Jewish state on the planet—something that could only be accomplished by the genocide of its citizens—while having no problem with the scores of other nations that are explicitly Muslim or officially devoted to one specific faith or ethnic group is to discriminate against Jews.

And there is more proof of prejudice. Carlson continues to declare that the fictional “genocide” being committed by Israel is the most urgent of issues. At the same time, he remains unconcerned by the fact that the Palestinians intend to continue their murderous onslaughts against the Jews, all while downplaying and denying that genocidal assaults on Christians are right now being waged by Muslims in African countries.

A political calculation

The vice president is clearly treading in dangerous waters. But that begs the question as to why he’s doing so.

The only logical answer? It seems that similar to the leadership of the Democratic Party, he has come to the conclusion that it’s good politics.

Democrats have embraced open antisemites like New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, whose short political career has revolved around his obsession with destroying the Jewish state, not to mention the members of the left-wing congressional “Squad” who are treated like rock stars by their voters, as well as the chattering classes.

By contrast, the Republicans had become a lockstep pro-Israel party in recent decades, with only libertarian outliers like Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) or erratic extremists like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) being exceptions to a pro-Israel consensus among GOP officeholders.

But Vance, a savvy political player and someone, in contrast to Trump or veteran conservatives, who is very much attuned to online trends, is sensing that the tide is shifting against the Jews among younger Republicans.

This generation has largely been indoctrinated in the same leftist ideologies like critical race theory, intersectionality and settler-colonialism in K-12 schools and colleges that grant a permission slip to Jew-hatred as their liberal compatriots. And they are swimming in the same sea of anti-Jewish prejudice and Israel-bashing that the algorithms of TikTok and other social-media platforms enable.

Their vulnerability to these toxic myths and lies is partly due to their addiction to the internet, as well as the product of the deleterious impact of the COVID pandemic isolation they suffered.

But if Vance aspires to become president, then voters have a right to expect him to do more than appease or validate these prejudices, as did his predecessor, former Vice President Kamala Harris. And for him to argue that antisemitism isn’t that big a problem or that it’s OK to “not like” Israel in the aftermath of two years of a post-Oct. 7 surge in Jew-hatred that culminated in the massacre of 16 people on Bondi Beach in Australia isn’t just bad taste. It’s not unreasonable to conclude that he is dog-whistling to Fuentes fans and other young antisemites that he’s on their side—or at least doesn’t openly oppose them.

The jury is still out about whether that is as smart a political move as he may think it is.

For those who spend their days on X or TikTok, the views of Carlson or even the groypers may seem normative. But in contrast to the situation with the Democrats, the GOP base, which is dominated by evangelical Christians, remains solidly pro-Israel. So, too, are the majority of Republican voters and even most Americans.

What voters want

Working-class Americans of all races who played a decisive role in re-electing Trump to a second term agree with Vance on immigration and share his skepticism about the European establishment’s disdain for democratic norms that interfere with policies that undermine their national sovereignty. But they’re not going to turn out for him if he becomes too closely identified with extremism and hate.

In a 2024 speech to the Quincy Institute, Vance made a strong case for Israel as the perfect “America First” ally for the United States because of its strength, technological prowess and willingness to defend itself. He’s also consistently denounced antisemitism.

Still, he seems to be drifting away from that principled stance in less than a year as vice president. He seems to think that the political future belongs to ignorant young voters who have been spoon-fed anti-Israel and antisemitic propaganda for years. Whether or not that’s a correct analysis of the 2028 electorate, it’s feeding a crisis that is both undermining Jewish security and harming an alliance that benefits the United States.

Jonathan S. Tobin is editor-in-chief of JNS (Jewish News Syndicate). Follow him: @jonathans_tobin.

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Iran has carried out the execution of a man convicted of spying for Israel, according to reports broadcast by state media, as Tehran continues to intensify its response to alleged intelligence activity linked to the Jewish state.

The individual, identified by state television as Aghil Keshavarz, was accused of maintaining what authorities described as “close intelligence cooperation” with the Mossad and of photographing sensitive military and security sites inside Iran. Officials said the images were provided to Israeli intelligence.

Keshavarz was detained in May in the northwestern city of Urmia, roughly 600 kilometers northwest of Tehran, where he was allegedly caught taking pictures of a military headquarters. Prosecutors later claimed that he had carried out more than 200 similar missions for the Mossad across multiple Iranian cities, including the capital.

According to the report, Keshavarz, who was 27 years old and had studied architecture, was tried in an Iranian court and sentenced to death. The ruling was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court, clearing the way for the execution.

The execution comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions following a 12-day air war in June, during which Israel struck Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure. Iranian officials say that since that conflict, the country has executed 11 people on espionage charges. During the same period, Iranian missile attacks on Israel killed 32 people and left more than 3,000 wounded.

Iran has also carried out other executions linked to alleged Israeli intelligence activity in recent months. In October, authorities announced the execution of an unnamed individual convicted of spying for the Mossad in the city of Qom.

Human rights organizations have long criticized Iran’s handling of espionage cases, noting that such trials are often held behind closed doors, with defendants frequently denied access to the evidence used against them.

That same month, Tehran announced sweeping changes to its espionage laws, significantly increasing penalties for those accused of spying for Israel and the United States. Under the revised legislation, individuals found guilty will “be punished by the confiscation of all assets… and subject to the death penalty.”

Under the previous legal framework, Iran’s espionage laws did not single out specific countries, and convictions did not automatically carry the death sentence.

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President Donald Trump threw his support behind Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman in the New York governor’s race on Saturday, moving quickly after Rep. Elise Stefanik ended her campaign the day before.

Announcing the endorsement on Truth Social, Trump praised Blakeman’s loyalty and prospects in the race. “Bruce is MAGA all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning,” Trump wrote. “Bruce Blakeman is a FANTASTIC guy, will win the big November Election and, without hesitation, has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Governor of the ONCE GREAT STATE OF NEW YORK (IT CAN BE GREAT AGAIN!). BRUCE BLAKEMAN WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

Stefanik had been widely viewed as the Republican frontrunner to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026. Her decision to step aside followed a turbulent year that included Trump withdrawing her nomination to serve as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, citing concerns about protecting the party’s narrow majority in the House. Trump ultimately did not back Stefanik for governor, and in her announcement exiting the race, she said she would not seek reelection.

The field grew more complicated earlier this month when Blakeman entered the contest, prompting Trump to publicly compliment both Republican contenders as “fantastic people.” In the months prior, Trump had also encouraged another potential candidate, Rep. Mike Lawler, to stay put by endorsing him for reelection to his closely contested House seat.

Polling suggests Blakeman faces an uphill battle against the incumbent. A Siena Poll of New York released earlier this week showed Hochul holding a double-digit advantage over Blakeman in a hypothetical general election matchup.

Blakeman has maintained a visible relationship with Trump, including attending a Hanukkah reception at the White House earlier this week. After the endorsement became public, Blakeman responded on X, saying he was “grateful and blessed” to receive the president’s backing.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Friday that the current ceasefire in Gaza cannot evolve into lasting stability if Hamas remains armed and capable of attacking Israel, saying any arrangement that leaves the terror group intact will eventually fall apart.

Rubio described the existing ceasefire as fragile and demanding constant oversight, with multiple governments needing to intervene regularly to prevent renewed violence. He said the situation on the ground shows how easily calm can be disrupted. “This is not easy; peace is [not] a verb; it’s not; it’s an action,” Rubio said. “It’s not a sentiment. Every single day will bring challenges. Every single day.”

Pointing to recent incidents, Rubio said Hamas continues to pose an active threat despite the pause in fighting. “We also have had instances, for example, over the last couple weeks where Hamas elements emerged from a tunnel, attached an explosive device to the side of a vehicle, and injured and almost killed Israeli soldiers,” he said. “We still have this threat. We still have and see every single day Hamas openly taking steps to strengthen themselves inside of those places in Gaza that they still control.”

Rubio said that reality underscores why disarmament must be central to any serious peace effort. “If Hamas is ever in a position to threaten or attack Israel, you’re not going to have peace,” Rubio said. He repeated the point during the State Department briefing, stressing that economic recovery is impossible under the shadow of renewed war. “If Hamas is ever in a position in the future that they can threaten or attack Israel, you’re not going to have peace, OK? You’re not going to convince anyone to invest money in Gaza if they believe another war is going to happen in two to three years.”

He urged observers and negotiators to focus less on slogans and more on concrete capabilities. “So, I would just ask everyone to focus on what are the kind of weaponries and capabilities that Hamas would need in order to threaten or attack Israel as a baseline for what disarmament needs to look like,” Rubio said.

Rubio said that without removing those capabilities, violence is bound to return. “Because you’re not going to have peace, if two years from now, Hamas is launching rockets or killing Israelis or carrying out, God forbid, another Oct. 7-type terrorist attack and so forth, you’re not going to have peace,” he said. “So, who is going to invest in a peace, who is going to invest in rebuilding a place, that’s going to get destroyed again in a future war? So that’s why disarmament is so critical.”

While declining to provide details of ongoing negotiations, Rubio said the exact scope of disarmament will be worked out by technical teams. Still, he made clear that partial measures will not suffice. “Everyone wants peace,” Rubio said. “No one wants a return to a war.”

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At his marathon year-end news conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed questions about the future of the conflict in Ukraine and dismissed suggestions that Moscow is preparing for a broader military confrontation with Europe.

Asked directly whether Russia intends to launch military action against European countries, Putin said Moscow’s position depends on how it is treated by Western governments. “There will be no special operations if you treat us with respect, if you respect our interests as we have always tried to respect yours. There will be no further Russian invasions if you do not humiliate us as you did when you expanded NATO eastward,” Putin said.

The Russian leader also revisited his proposal for ending the war in Ukraine, pointing back to terms he publicly outlined last year. He reiterated that Moscow expects Kyiv to renounce its bid to join NATO, withdraw forces from four regions claimed by Russia, reduce the size of its military, and grant official status to the Russian language. Putin additionally called for new presidential elections in Ukraine.

Putin argued that Russia remains open to a negotiated resolution, insisting that responsibility for the lack of progress lies elsewhere. “The only thing I want to say is that we have always said this: we are ready to end this conflict peacefully, based on the principles I outlined in June last year at the Russian Foreign Ministry, and by addressing the roots that led to this crisis,” he said during the event, which stretched for more than four hours.

He also spoke positively about U.S. President Donald Trump’s involvement, saying he appreciated Trump’s role in seeking an end to the war. At the same time, Putin accused Western governments of preventing an agreement. “It is the West, not Russia, that is blocking the deal. The ball is in the court of our Western opponents, primarily the leaders of the Kyiv regime, and in this case, above all, their European backers,” he said.

Ukrainian officials, for their part, have already rejected Moscow’s territorial demands, including calls for Kyiv to surrender Crimea, Donbas, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, areas Russia claims as its own.

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A 15-year-old from Beit Shemesh who drew nati1onwide attention last month after climbing a crane at the Marom Tower near the entrance to Yerushalayim attempted to scale the site again on Friday morning, but was stopped before reaching dangerous heights.

The earlier incident ended with the teen being rescued by fire and rescue crews. This time, his attempt was cut short when he was intercepted by a passerby and later taken in by police for questioning at the Lev HaBira station.

According to reports, the teen was spotted trying to breach the perimeter fence leading toward the 39-story Marom Tower. Photographer and drone hobbyist Malkiel Elbaz noticed the attempt and chose to intervene to prevent another life-threatening situation.

Elbaz described the encounter, saying, “I was passing near the central bus station and saw a boy trying to cross the fence toward the Marom Tower. I came closer and asked him where he was going. He told me that he had been up there a month ago and that he was going up again.”

Realizing the danger, Elbaz said he took immediate action. “I was alone and decided to act. I notified the police and started talking to him, and when I saw that he was about to cross the fence, I jumped up, grabbed him, and held him for a few minutes until more help arrived. Then police officers came and took over.”

After the incident, Elbaz issued a public appeal, warning of the risks involved. “I have one request of you—pay attention to your friends. This is not a joke; these are people’s lives.”

Police confirmed that the teen was brought in for questioning following the incident.

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