Matzav

A proposal to send $2,000 rebate checks funded by tariff revenue could move to Capitol Hill early next year, according to remarks made Sunday by National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett. Speaking on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, Hassett indicated that President Trump is likely to press lawmakers to act.

“I would expect that in the new year, the president will bring forth a proposal to Congress to make that happen,” Hassett said during the interview.

The administration has been publicly advocating for the rebates since last month, with President Trump calling for $2,000 checks to be distributed to most Americans while excluding “high-income people.” The White House has not released details defining which income levels would be eligible, but officials have said the funding would come from revenue generated by the president’s broad import tariffs.

Hassett emphasized that even if the White House advances the plan, Congress would control the outcome. “It could come from tariff revenue, but in the end, we get taxes, we get tariffs, we get revenue from lots of places, and then Congress decides how to spend those monies,” he said. “That’s an appropriation. And so, this would have to be money that would be an appropriation.”

Skepticism remains among some Republicans. Last month, Sen. Ron Johnson told Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo that the nation “can’t afford” a rebate of that size.

Recent data show that tariff collections have surged. According to a September statement from the US Treasury Department, the government brought in $195 billion from tariff duties over the first three quarters of the year.

Economists say consumers are bearing part of the cost. The Yale Budget Lab reported that as of Nov. 17, the average effective tariff rate paid by consumers stood at 16.8 percent, the highest level since 1934 and an increase of 14.4 percentage points since early January.

The idea of tariff-funded rebates has circulated in Congress before. In July, Sen. Josh Hawley introduced a bill proposing $600 rebates for most Americans and their dependent children, a plan that would have provided $2,400 to a family of four.

{Matzav.com}

An emotional scene unfolded last night, the seventh night of Chanukah, at the main beis medrash of the Vizhnitzer chassidus on Shlomo Hamelech Street in Bnei Brak, when Yosef Chaim Ochana, recently freed from Hamas captivity, arrived together with his father to attend the Vizhnitzer Rebbe’s Chanukah candle lighting.

Ochana, who was released in the most recent hostage deal, entered the Vizhnitzer court accompanied by members of his family. Thousands of chassidim filled the beis medrash for the lighting, which took place amid heightened emotion and a strong sense of gratitude.

The bond between the Ochana family and the Vizhnitzer court was forged during the long months of captivity. Throughout nearly two years of uncertainty and anguish, Yosef Chaim’s father, Avraham Ochana, made frequent visits to the home of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe. During that period, the Rebbe offered encouragement, blessings, and chizuk, repeatedly urging the family to hold fast to hope and faith in salvation.

After the candle lighting, as powerful niggunim of thanks and joy filled the beis medrash, the Rebbe stepped forward and began a special dance together with Yosef Chaim and his father. The sight of the Rebbe dancing with the former hostage moved the assembled crowd, many of whom were visibly emotional.

At the conclusion of the dance, Avraham Ochana, overcome with tears, addressed the Rebbe before the gathered chassidim. “Rebbe,” he cried, “you promised me he would come out alive. And here we are — we have come to give thanks.”

Following the public gathering, Yosef Chaim and his father were received privately by the Rebbe in his room. The meeting lasted for over an hour, during which the family expressed their personal gratitude for the Rebbe’s support, the tefillos, and the ongoing spiritual backing of the Vizhnitzer community throughout the ordeal.

{Matzav.com}

A national auto service chain has agreed to pay a six-figure settlement after a federal investigation concluded that it improperly rejected a Jewish job applicant because of his observance of Shabbos. Mavis Tire will pay $304,000 to resolve the case brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The matter stemmed from an interview for a management role in Central New York. During the interview process, the applicant requested a religious accommodation that would excuse him from working on Friday nights and Saturdays.

Investigators found that after the applicant raised the issue, the company stopped considering him for the management position and instead offered him a lower-paying job as a tire technician, citing the greater flexibility of that role. When the applicant reiterated that he could not work during the Sabbath, the company rescinded the offer entirely.

The EEOC concluded that the company’s actions ran afoul of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars religious discrimination and retaliation against individuals who seek accommodations or raise complaints related to their faith.

“Employers may not refuse to hire a job applicant to avoid approving a request for religious accommodation,” said Arlene Nieto, the commission’s acting director in New York. “Employers must make reasonable efforts to accommodate the employee’s sincere religious beliefs, unless such accommodation would cause an unreasonable hardship.”

Under the terms of the settlement, Mavis Tire committed to revising its policies on religious accommodations. The company also agreed to provide training for retail managers in the Central New York region, as well as for national human resources staff involved in hiring decisions and the handling of religious accommodation requests.

{Matzav.com}

A wide-ranging panel addressing issues at the forefront of the yeshiva world was held during the Chanukah mesibah at Yeshivas Kiryat Melech in Bnei Brak. The discussion featured Rav Yisroel Meir Weissenstern posing questions from the talmidim to the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Shlomo Kanievsky, on topics including concerns over the draft, the growing trend of bochurim leaving yeshiva for Shabbos, and whether yeshivos should prepare talmidim to become observant baalei batim.

Question:
A bochur asks: With all the uncertainty surrounding the draft — whether arrests will take place, whether laws will pass or not — is there real reason for a ben Torah to be afraid? Some bochurim view the situation lightly, but others, and their parents, are genuinely worried. How should we relate to this entire issue and to the lack of clarity surrounding it?

Answer – Rav Shlomo Kanievsky:
This is a question that people are already tired of discussing — it has been ground over for months.

The truth is that the situation has not fundamentally changed since galus began, from the time the Torah was given until today. Jews were always hated, and wherever they could, they caused us trouble. From the founding of the state, there were attempts to uproot Torah — we all know the stories of the children brought from Yemen, from Tehran, from other places, and the efforts to secularize them. That has always been the approach, and it has not changed. There may have been quiet understandings at times, but the essence never changed. So there is no new reason to be afraid.

As for prison — of course prison is not pleasant. Anyone who tells you it’s not a big deal is wrong; it can be very difficult. But people don’t live their lives constantly afraid of prison for all sorts of actions. All the more so here. Bochurim should sit and learn calmly, without panic.

There are three things to avoid: not getting a driver’s license, not traveling abroad, and not going to the police. Beyond that, one can sit and learn peacefully, daven properly, and live as a good Jew should.

Question:
Shabbos in yeshiva is challenging for many bochurim. There is a growing phenomenon of bochurim going home or eating by host families on Friday night or Shabbos day. Some miss home; others find Shabbos in yeshiva difficult. Can the Rosh Yeshiva speak about the importance of continuity and remaining in yeshiva for Shabbos?

Answer – Rav Shlomo Kanievsky:
This question really has two parts, and they are not the same.

The first question is about a bochur leaving yeshiva entirely for Shabbos. On this we have spoken so much already that our throats are dry, but it must be repeated. A bochur who goes home for Shabbos loses retzef — continuity. Even missing one week breaks the flow.

We saw something frightening during the corona period. Bochurim were not necessarily in bad environments; they were in good homes. But they were not in a framework. And because they were not in a framework, we lost a tremendous number of bochurim from the yeshiva world. I don’t think anyone even knows how many. The absence of a misgeres alone caused spiritual collapse.

A bochur at this age must be in a greenhouse, a yeshiva environment. Whether he is strong or weak makes no difference. Chazal say, “Lehevei tzavsa lechavrei.” Even if he is not learning much, he is carried along by the environment. Once he leaves the greenhouse — no matter where he goes — he is alone. And once he is alone, it is a different story entirely.

Even if a bochur’s home is the home of great people, it does not change this reality. A person is influenced by his surroundings. That is human nature.

Therefore, until marriage, a bochur should be in yeshiva as much as possible — during the week and on Shabbos. This does not mean he can never go home, but the effort should be to stay in yeshiva as much as possible.

Question:
What about eating Shabbos meals by host families?

Answer – Rav Shlomo Kanievsky:
This is a more complicated question.

In earlier generations, when we learned in Ponovezh, Shabbos meals were very simple. You ate, bentched, and left. No zemiros, no program — nothing. The focus was only on learning. Even Shabbos did not change that, other than slightly longer tefillos.

Today the generations have changed. A bochur needs warmth. He needs some atmosphere — what was once called a tish, today maybe a zitz. The name doesn’t matter; the idea is the same. Because of this, yeshivos today sing zemiros and say divrei Torah at the meals. There is no choice; it is necessary.

As for eating meals outside the yeshiva, I cannot give guidance. In my own home, my father wanted all the children to eat at home every Shabbos, no matter where they learned. I don’t know if that was guidance for everyone or only for his household. Therefore, I refrain from expressing an opinion. But one thing is clear: a bochur must be in yeshiva for Shabbos. The yeshiva protects him from the street.

Question:
There are bochurim who will not remain full-time learners after marriage. Why doesn’t the yeshiva provide tools for becoming a Torah-true baal habayis — how to conduct business properly, give maaser, and set aside fixed times for learning?

Answer – Rav Shlomo Kanievsky:
The yeshiva educates everyone how a Jew must live according to the Torah. That is our chinuch.

The yeshiva does not dictate what a bochur must do after marriage. But a bochur who already plans, while still in yeshiva, to leave learning — his place is not here. That is not why the yeshiva was established.

We educate every talmid to aspire to be like Moshe Rabbeinu — to be great in Torah and yirah. Even if circumstances later require a person to work, his foundation must be that of a ben Torah. And if he is fortunate, at some point he will always be thinking: when can I return to learning?

We have seen many such people — they worked for decades, and when they retired, they returned to kollel and learned with young avreichim as if nothing had changed. That was because the yeshiva implanted in them that the main thing in life is to sit and learn.

A Jew must always aspire to be a ben Torah. Even a baal habayis must aspire to be a ben Torah. That is the kind of baal habayis we educate.

{Matzav.com}

Thousands of residents poured into an Ashkelon venue for a major Chanukah gathering led by the Yenuka, Rav Shlomo Yehuda Be’eri, prompting organizers to close the gates and erect an outdoor projection screen to accommodate the overflow crowd.

The Yenuka arrived in the southern city for a large public event that included the lighting of Chanukah candles and a special shiur focused on matters of the day. The gathering drew rabbonim, public figures, and a massive turnout from the local community.

As the evening progressed and thousands streamed toward the hall, organizers were forced to shut the doors once capacity was reached. A large screen was set up outside, allowing those who could not enter to follow the program.

For more than an hour, the Yenuka delivered a wide-ranging shiur on the greatness of the miracle of Chanukah and the revelation of the Ribbono Shel Olam in the world. He then led the crowd in niggunim.

הינוקא באשקלוןצילום: יוסי רוזנבוים הינוקא באשקלוןצילום: יוסי רוזנבוים הינוקא באשקלוןצילום: יוסי רוזנבוים הינוקא באשקלוןצילום: יוסי רוזנבוים הינוקא באשקלוןצילום: יוסי רוזנבוים הינוקא באשקלוןצילום: יוסי רוזנבוים הינוקא באשקלוןצילום: יוסי רוזנבוים הינוקא באשקלוןצילום: יוסי רוזנבוים הינוקא באשקלוןצילום: יוסי רוזנבוים הינוקא באשקלוןצילום: יוסי רוזנבוים הינוקא באשקלוןצילום: יוסי רוזנבוים

Israeli intelligence officials believe Tehran is accelerating efforts to restore its missile capabilities, pushing harder than at any point since the 12-day conflict in June. According to Israeli assessments, Iran’s arsenal was significantly reduced during that war, with missile stockpiles dropping from roughly 3,000 to about 1,500 and the number of launchers cut in half, from around 400 to 200.

Against that backdrop, Western intelligence agencies have detected activity that has raised fresh concern. Iran International reported on Shabbos that intelligence services observed “unusual aerial activity” involving the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force. The report said the movements and coordination were “beyond normal patterns” among drone, missile, and air-defense units, prompting increased scrutiny.

Israeli and American officials cited by Axios said one working assessment is that the activity could still be part of a military exercise. However, they stressed that the scale of the maneuvers and the level of synchronization among different forces have attracted particular attention and fueled anxiety.

Israeli officials have conveyed those worries directly to Washington. According to Axios reporter Barak Ravid, Israeli representatives warned the Trump administration that recent IRGC missile exercises might be more than routine training and could serve as preparation for an attack on Israel. The report cited three Israeli and US officials with direct knowledge of the discussions.

Sources familiar with the intelligence said that, so far, the information collected points mainly to force movements within Iran rather than clear attack preparations. Even so, Israeli officials remain on edge, noting that Israel’s willingness to assume risk has sharply diminished since the Hamas invasion on October 7, 2023.

One Israeli source told Axios that similar alerts were issued about six weeks earlier, after Iranian missile movements were detected but ultimately did not lead to action. “The chances for an Iranian attack are less than 50%, but nobody is willing to take the risk and just say it is only an exercise,” the source said.

American intelligence officials, meanwhile, told Axios that the United States currently does not see signs that Iran is preparing an imminent strike.

Behind the scenes, coordination between the two militaries has intensified. According to the report, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir spoke on Saturday with US Central Command commander Adm. Brad Cooper to outline Israel’s concerns about the IRGC missile maneuvers that began several days earlier. Zamir warned that the missile activity, together with other operational movements, could be used to mask a surprise attack and pressed for close US-Israel cooperation on defensive steps.

Cooper then traveled to Tel Aviv on Sunday, where he met with Zamir and other senior IDF officials to review the situation. The IDF declined to comment publicly on the meetings, and CENTCOM did not respond to a request for comment.

Diplomatic discussions are also looming. Israeli sources said Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is expected to meet US President Donald Trump in Miami on December 29. NBC News reported on Saturday that Netanyahu plans to raise concerns about Iran’s expanding ballistic missile program and the possibility of another Israeli strike against Iran in 2026 during that meeting.

{Matzav.com}

Monday night’s Powerball drawing is set to feature a massive estimated jackpot of $1.6 billion, placing it among the biggest lottery prizes ever offered in the United States, according to Powerball officials.

Players chasing the top prize face extremely long odds. Powerball puts the chance of winning the jackpot at 1 in 292.2 million, a reflection of the game’s six-number format and the difficulty of matching every required ball.

The jackpot grew after no one claimed the top prize in Saturday’s drawing. The winning numbers that went unmatched were white balls 4, 5, 28, 52, and 69, along with the red Powerball 20. As a result, Monday’s drawing now represents the fifth-largest jackpot in U.S. lottery history and the fourth-largest ever offered by Powerball, the lottery said in a news release.

Whoever eventually wins will have a choice in how the money is paid out. The cash option is currently estimated at $735.3 million, while the annuity option totals about $1.6 billion, both figures calculated before taxes. The annuity plan includes an initial payment followed by 29 yearly payments that rise by 5% each year, Powerball explained.

Only one U.S. lottery jackpot has ever topped the current prize. That record-setting $2.04 billion jackpot was won in 2022, when a ticket purchased in California matched all the numbers. The winner chose a lump-sum payout of $997.6 million.

Powerball tickets are sold in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The game is administered by the Multi-State Lottery Association, a nonprofit organization representing state lotteries. States use proceeds from ticket sales to fund public education programs and other government services.

{Matzav.com}

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Sunday that Israel was prepared to take military action wherever necessary, signaling that future strikes could extend well beyond Israel’s immediate borders.

“The IDF will act against Israel’s enemies wherever required, on near and distant fronts alike,” Zamir said, speaking at a ceremony marking the transition of leadership at the IDF Planning Directorate.

Zamir placed Iran at the center of Israel’s current war effort, describing it as the primary force driving the multifront conflict that erupted following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. “At the heart of the longest and most complex war in Israel’s history stands the campaign against Iran,” he said.

He accused Tehran of orchestrating and sustaining the network of hostile forces surrounding Israel. “Iran financed and armed the ring of strangulation around Israel and stood behind the plans for its destruction,” Zamir said, referring to Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen, Iraqi militias, and Iran itself.

His remarks came a day after NBC News reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to present President Donald Trump with plans for a possible renewed strike on Iran during an upcoming visit to Washington.

According to the report, Israeli officials had grown increasingly alarmed that Iran was rebuilding — and potentially expanding — its ballistic missile production following the 12-day conflict between the two countries in June. Officials cited in the report said Jerusalem viewed the missile program as a more urgent threat than Iran’s nuclear efforts.

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

Another source emphasized the danger posed by Iran’s missile capabilities, saying, “The threat of the missiles is very real, and we weren’t able to prevent them all last time.”

Sources with knowledge of the assessments, along with former US officials, told NBC that Israel believed Iran could increase ballistic missile production to as many as 3,000 missiles annually if no action was taken.

From Tehran, Iran’s foreign minister responded defiantly. Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that Iran had already repaired facilities damaged in Israeli strikes earlier this year and was ready for another confrontation if necessary.

“We have reconstructed everything that was damaged in the previous aggression,” Araghchi said in an interview with Russia Today, as cited by Iran’s ISNA news agency. “If they want to repeat the same failed experience, they will not achieve a better result.”

He acknowledged the extent of the damage but insisted Iran’s capabilities remained intact. “The reality is that our facilities have been damaged, and seriously so,” Araghchi said. “But there is another reality, and that is that our technology remains intact, and technology cannot be bombed.”

Araghchi added that Iran’s resolve had not weakened. “Our determination and will still exist,” he said, asserting that Iran had “a completely legitimate right to the peaceful use of nuclear technology, including enrichment.”

The foreign minister said Iran remained open to diplomacy under certain conditions. Tehran, he said, was willing to reach “a fair and balanced agreement” through negotiations, but would not accept outside pressure.

“We are prepared to provide full assurance that our program is peaceful and will remain peaceful forever,” Araghchi said. “This is exactly what we did in 2015.”

{Matzav.com}

Former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu, arguing that Israel stood at an unprecedented point of regional strength but was losing that advantage due to its current leadership.

Speaking on the Pod Saves America, Emanuel said Israel’s strategic position was stronger than at any time since the state’s founding, even as its political standing had deteriorated. “Israel has never been more strategically secure since Ben Gurion was dancing the hora in 1948 in Tel Aviv, but more politically vulnerable,” Emanuel said.

Emanuel, who previously served as chief of staff to Barack Obama and later as mayor of Chicago, went further, accusing Netanyahu of pushing Jews into isolation. “Never in my life [did I think] the prime minister of the State of Israel would lead Jews back into the ghetto, and that’s what’s happening in Israel, and that’s what’s happening in the world,” he claimed. “Jews can’t go to Europe and participate in Eurovision, while the UAE is hosting the world financially and in the F1 [Formula One racing].”

Emanuel argued that Israel’s diplomatic environment was unusually favorable, citing peace with neighboring countries and the absence of an immediate regional military threat. “This is the best strategic terrain Israel’s had since the founding. You have peace in Jordan with Israel; you have peace with Egypt; Syria and Lebanon — basically call it non-belligerence… Iran is on their back foot… You don’t really have in the near geography a strategic threat,” he said.

He maintained that Netanyahu’s conduct over time had deepened Israel’s isolation rather than capitalizing on these advantages. “He has literally — in the way he has executed pieces of the last — not just the last two years, but over his time — isolated Jews in Israel,” Emanuel said.

Turning to broader regional shifts, Emanuel said the Gulf states had evolved dramatically and now sought integration into the global economy, something he argued should have played directly to Israel’s strengths. “When we were starting in politics, the Gulf was all about just oil. Today, they want to be part of the world economy, which is what Israel’s ace is,” he said. “That is an invitation for Israel, and they’re pissing it away with this prime minister.”

{Matzav.com}

A senior State Department bureau pushed back against claims that the United States planned to bankroll a massive reconstruction effort in Gaza, flatly denying a report that Washington intended to commit $60 billion to the project, while stopping short of disputing other details of the proposal described in the report.

The response followed a report published Friday by The Wall Street Journal, which said the United States had circulated a long-term vision to prospective donor nations outlining a dramatic transformation of Gaza into a high-tech, upscale Mediterranean hub over a 20-year period, with an estimated total cost of $112 billion.

According to the Journal, the proposal envisioned the United States serving as an initial financial “anchor” by contributing $60 billion, with additional funding coming later from international donors and from Gaza itself as development progressed.

Soon after the report appeared, the X account of the State Department Near Eastern Affairs Bureau shared a link to a New York Post summary of the Journal’s reporting and issued a brief denial, writing, “This is fake news. Nowhere in the plan does it say the US will pay $60 billion.”

The post notably did not address other aspects of the Journal’s reporting, leaving open the possibility that the broader outline of the plan was accurate, even if the specific funding claim was not.

The Journal reported that it had reviewed a 32-page slideshow marked “sensitive but unclassified” that laid out a four-phase approach to clearing debris, rebuilding Gaza’s infrastructure, and lifting residents out of poverty. The presentation, the paper said, had been shared with wealthy Gulf states, as well as Turkey and Egypt.

{Matzav.com}

In the wake of growing antisemitic attacks across the globe, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called on Jews everywhere to relocate to Eretz Yisroel, warning that the situation facing Jewish communities had become increasingly dangerous.

Speaking at a Chanukah candlelighting ceremony in Rishon Lezion, Sa’ar reflected on the reality confronting Jews worldwide and the lessons of Jewish history. “Jews have the right to live in safety everywhere. But we see and fully understand what is happening, and we have a certain historical experience,” he said. “Today, Jews are being hunted across the world. Today I call on Jews in England, Jews in France, Jews in Australia, Jews in Canada, Jews in Belgium: come to the Land of Israel! Come home!”

Sa’ar emphasized that the State of Israel stood ready to receive them, stressing both the emotional and historical bond of the Jewish people to their homeland. He said Israelis “are waiting for you here with open arms. With love. In the true home of the Jewish people. Why raise your children in this atmosphere? Come with your families to the land of our forefathers, to the State of Israel, where the Jews taught the entire world what Jewish self-defense means. The time has come.”

{Matzav.com}

A surge in antisemitic incidents worldwide since Hamas launched its war against Israel on October 7, 2023, has placed Jewish communities on heightened alert, particularly during the eight days of Chanukah. Those concerns intensified further after a terror attack at a Chanukah gathering in Australia last week left 15 people dead.

Against that backdrop, a video now spreading on social media claims to capture a violent confrontation in Istanbul involving Jews on their way to a shul for Chanukah celebrations. The footage appears to show seven Jewish individuals surrounded and attacked by a large group described as pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

In the video, one assailant can be heard shouting, “We don’t want Zionists in our country.” The authenticity of the footage and the precise circumstances surrounding the incident could not be independently verified.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has issued a blistering legal opinion rejecting a government-backed bill that would establish a new type of commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion and atrocities, warning that the proposal would undermine any serious effort to uncover the truth.

In an opinion released Sunday, Baharav-Miara argues that the legislation — a private member’s bill introduced by Likud MK Ariel Kallner — should not receive government backing due to what she describes as fundamental and far-reaching flaws. According to the attorney general, the bill would damage the integrity of any investigation and block the possibility of a future, independent inquiry conducted without political interference.

“At issue,” she writes, “is a ‘personal bill,’ that is ‘tailored to the measurements’ of the current government and coalition.”

Baharav-Miara contends that the proposed framework would inject politics directly into the heart of the investigative process. The commission envisioned by the bill, she says, would be shaped by coalition and opposition appointments with almost no standards governing members’ qualifications, creating what she describes as a serious risk that political motives would override professional judgment.

“The proposal politicizes the commission, creates a commission for which there is a real concern that political considerations will override the professional considerations essential to investigating the truth, whose investigative powers are not appropriate for such a panel in the absence of a senior judge at its head, and whose mechanism is cumbersome and will thwart the ability to investigate the truth and draw objective conclusions,” she writes.

Under the bill, the inquiry would be labeled a “state-national” commission, with members selected jointly by the coalition and opposition — a structure the opposition has already pledged to boycott. Baharav-Miara contrasts this with existing law, under which a state commission of inquiry is appointed by the president of the Supreme Court and chaired by a retired Supreme Court justice, a model she views as critical to ensuring independence and credibility.

She further criticizes the origins of the proposal, asserting that it did not emerge from professional legal analysis but from political maneuvering at the highest levels. “It is not the result of professional staff work, but rather of political discourse led by the prime minister and in cooperation with the coalition factions,” she states, warning that this approach would produce a deeply compromised investigative body.

Baharav-Miara also addresses the broader principle at stake, arguing that the scale and gravity of the October 7 catastrophe demand less government influence over an inquiry, not more. Any reform of inquiry mechanisms, she says, should aim “to reduce the dependence of a state commission on the government” in order to strengthen public confidence — not to increase that dependence through a politically constructed panel.

In another sharp criticism, she accuses the bill’s sponsors of exploiting the legislative process by advancing the proposal as a private member’s bill. The move, she says, allows the government to sidestep legal oversight, since government-sponsored legislation requires the attorney general’s approval, while private bills do not. In her view, the bill is meant to “serve the personal, political interests of the government and its members, while abusing the [legislative] pathway of a private member’s bill.”

The attorney general also takes aim at a ministerial committee set to begin discussions on the scope and mandate of the proposed commission, a body chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She argues that the committee has no legitimate legal standing, noting that such committees operate only alongside a properly constituted state commission of inquiry under existing law.

“Therefore, there is no place for the government to support the bill,” Baharav-Miara concludes, urging the government instead to follow established legal procedures and create a standard state commission of inquiry to examine the October 7 failures.

{Matzav.com}

Following mounting criticism of its reporting on the Israel-Gaza war, the British Broadcasting Corporation has said it will conduct an extensive review of its Middle East coverage, acknowledging that serious journalistic errors were made along the way.

The decision comes in the wake of a detailed, 13-page dossier accusing the broadcaster of bias, along with the leak of an internal memo authored by independent adviser Michael Prescott. That memo argued that BBC reporting frequently presumed negative intent on Israel’s part. It also charged that BBC Arabic minimized Israeli suffering while depicting Israel as the aggressor, even though Hamas initiated the war with its October 7 terrorist attack.

Addressing the complaints, Peter Johnston, the BBC’s Director of Editorial Complaints and Reviews, issued a formal response evaluating the allegations. In his report, Johnston admitted that the corporation committed several major errors, including incorrectly stating that the International Court of Justice had determined there was a “plausible cause of genocide” in Gaza.

Johnston’s findings also pointed to serious problems in how casualty figures were presented. Among the mistakes cited was a Newsnight segment that raised alarm over claims that 14,000 babies were at risk of starvation within 48 hours — a figure the BBC later acknowledged was wrong.

Other failures outlined in the report included a televised claim that Israeli forces had buried bodies in mass graves, when in fact Hamas was responsible, as well as a story about Gaza medical workers that failed to mention allegations that Hamas was operating from the hospital in question. The BBC further conceded that it did not disclose that the narrator of a Gaza documentary was the son of a Hamas official.

According to Johnston, the BBC later issued corrections and acknowledged that it erred by relying on freelance journalists whose social media activity reflected support for Hamas and antisemitic sentiment. He also noted that the Editorial Guidance and Standards Committee had already begun rolling out additional training for BBC Arabic staff.

Looking ahead, the BBC Board, together with the Editorial Guidance and Standards Committee, plans to launch a full editorial review of the broadcaster’s Middle East reporting. Johnston said this process is intended to provide a thorough assessment of coverage on a highly complex and sensitive subject and to ensure that lessons are properly learned.

Beyond the Middle East, the report also reviewed the BBC’s approach to other contentious areas, including gender identity issues and Britain’s colonial past. In those cases as well, it acknowledged weaknesses in how criticism was handled and called for further internal scrutiny.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli defense officials disclosed new information Sunday about the intelligence campaign that led to the killing of Ra’ad Sa’ad, a senior Hamas figure who headed the terror group’s weapons production apparatus and played a central role in the October 7 massacre.

The operation, known as “Operation Last Supper,” was carried out just over a week ago and, according to officers involved, ranks among the most accurate and strategically significant strikes since the fighting began.

Sa’ad was regarded as a driving force behind Hamas’s weapons buildup and its so-called development “revolution,” overseeing the arming of terrorists while remaining deeply involved in operational planning.

Lieutenant M., who leads the Development Targets Department in the Intelligence Directorate, described Sa’ad as an especially elusive target who deliberately embedded himself among civilians. “He would make sure to stay in motion,” M. said in an interview published on the IDF’s Hebrew-language website. “He would move between hiding spots, he would stay in mosques, hospitals, and areas full of civilians, understanding that he was a top target.”

According to M., Sa’ad was not only involved in planning Hamas’s major attacks but took an active role in executing them, including the “Walls of Jericho” invasion plan aimed at Israeli communities near Gaza. “Beyond the operational coordination, he was particularly responsible for supplying weapons to the Hamas forces.”

Additional insight into the intelligence effort was provided by Lieutenant Y., head of the Enemy Activity Target Department in the Research Division, who emphasized the methodical nature of the operation. “The process was built over time. Persistent intelligence gathering, close surveillance, and early preparation, until the window of opportunity opened. When we got a clear picture, we acted precisely and swiftly.”

Y. stressed the strategic weight of the strike, describing Sa’ad as a linchpin within Hamas’s leadership structure. “The importance of the elimination is clear. This was one of the most active senior officials, a member of the original [Hamas] general staff, and a man who was directly behind smuggling and supplying weapons to attack Israel. We could not allow this to continue.”

He added that the removal of Sa’ad has already had a tangible impact on Hamas’s operational capabilities. “The damage to their ability to continue building up their capabilities is evident. Today they are operating out of necessity, with isolated attempts and a recovery capacity that is steadily diminishing.”

Despite the success, intelligence officials cautioned against complacency, underscoring that further operations remain ahead. “There is still work,” Lt. M. said. “We know who’s next in line. Each soldier and officer here understands the gravity of the mission; this elimination gives a sense of satisfaction, but there’s still a long road ahead.”

{Matzav.com}

White House border czar Tom Homan warned Sunday that violence directed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will continue unless elected officials and other leaders change their tone around immigration enforcement.

Speaking during a televised interview, Homan said he has been sounding the alarm for months about the consequences of what he described as incendiary language aimed at federal agents. “I wish the hateful rhetoric from congressmen, mayors, and governors would stop, because I said back in March there’s going to be bloodshed,” Homan said. “I don’t want more bloodshed. But unless they stop doing what they’re doing, there will be more, and I worry about that every day.”

According to Homan, threats against ICE personnel have skyrocketed, rising more than 8,000%, while assaults on agents have jumped by roughly 1,300%. He said the figures are unprecedented based on his decades-long career in law enforcement.

The Trump administration, Homan said, is responding with a hardline posture toward anyone who interferes with immigration enforcement. He cited an increase in federal prosecutions under Attorney General Pam Bondi, noting that the Justice Department is pursuing record numbers of cases involving obstruction of ICE operations and physical attacks on officers.

“We’re sending a strong message,” Homan said, stressing that anyone who “puts a hand on an ICE officer” should expect to be arrested and face federal charges.

Homan tied his warning to what he described as dramatic improvements at the southern border under President Donald Trump, praising the administration’s policies as producing the most secure border in U.S. history. He pointed to sharp declines in migrant encounters, saying nationwide encounters dropped to just over 30,000 in November and are down 95% since Trump took office nearly a year ago, compared with levels during the Biden administration.

Deportations have also accelerated, Homan said, with ICE deporting more than 600,000 illegal aliens and an additional 1.9 million leaving the country voluntarily.

Despite those gains, Homan argued that resistance from certain political leaders and members of the judiciary has fueled a more dangerous climate for immigration officers. “You cross a line, you’ll be prosecuted,” he said, adding that accountability should apply “even if you’re a judge.”

As an example, Homan pointed to a Milwaukee County judge who he said was found guilty of obstructing federal immigration agents during an incident at a courthouse, describing it as emblematic of officials using their authority to block enforcement efforts.

Homan also raised alarms about unaccompanied migrant children, stating that approximately 300,000 children went missing during the Biden years. He said the current administration has located about 129,000 of those children through coordinated efforts involving the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Health and Human Services.

He urged political leaders to dial down rhetoric as enforcement operations expand nationwide, warning that continued escalation could lead to further attacks on federal officers.

The comments came as Homan traveled through Arizona, where he said he planned to speak at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest conference. He said his remarks there would focus on border security and what he views as shifting attitudes among younger Americans after recent national events.

“I look forward to talking eye to eye with them,” Homan said, explaining that he wants to directly outline the administration’s border policies and push back against what he characterized as widespread misinformation.

Homan concluded by arguing that tougher enforcement is saving lives by discouraging dangerous crossings and curbing fentanyl trafficking, while reiterating that protecting law enforcement officers remains paramount. “I don’t want more bloodshed,” he said, “but unless they stop doing what they’re doing, there will be more.”

{Matzav.com}

Russian officials moved Sunday to shut down speculation about imminent three-way negotiations with Ukraine and the United States, even as diplomats from several countries convened in Miami to explore possible paths toward ending the war.

Speaking to reporters, President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov rejected claims that a trilateral framework was taking shape. “At present, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and to my knowledge, it is not in preparation,” he said, according to Russian news agencies.

Ushakov added that Moscow has yet to review an updated American proposal aimed at resolving the conflict, saying he had “not seen” the revised plan. He also noted that Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who arrived in Miami over the weekend, “will return to Moscow, make his report, and we will discuss what to do next.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had revealed a day earlier that Washington had floated the idea of joint talks involving Kyiv and Moscow — a format that would mark the first direct encounter between the two sides in about six months. At the time, Zelenskyy was openly doubtful, telling reporters he was “not sure that anything new could come of it,” and urging the United States to apply greater pressure on Russia to bring the war to an end.

By Sunday, Zelenskyy struck a more cautiously hopeful tone, saying that discussions among American, European, and Ukrainian negotiators were “moving at a fairly rapid pace.” Still, he warned that “much depends on whether Russia feels the need to end the war for real.”

In a separate post on X, Zelenskyy painted a bleak picture of developments on the ground. “Unfortunately, the real signals coming from Russia remain only negative: assaults along the frontline, Russian war crimes in border areas, and continued strikes against our infrastructure,” he wrote.

He later added that “over the past week, Russia has launched approximately 1,300 attack drones, nearly 1,200 guided aerial bombs, and 9 missiles of various types against Ukraine,” saying the Odesa region and southern parts of the country had been “hit particularly hard.”

The Miami talks are being mediated by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, with the participation of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Ukrainian and European delegations have been gathering there since Friday, alongside the Russian representative.

Washington last month surprised Kyiv and its European partners by circulating a 28-point peace framework that many viewed as accommodating Moscow’s core demands. That plan has since been revised following input from Ukraine and European governments, though details of the latest version remain scarce. Ukrainian officials are widely expected to face pressure to concede some territory in return for U.S. security guarantees — a prospect that has drawn strong resentment among many Ukrainians.

On the battlefield, Russian forces have continued to press forward in the east. Putin on Friday praised recent territorial gains by his army and warned that further advances could follow in the coming weeks. Moscow on Sunday claimed it had seized two villages in the northern Sumy region and eastern Donetsk, while Ukraine reported that it had shot down two Russian fighter jets over the occupied Crimean peninsula.

The last official direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian representatives took place in July in Istanbul, resulting in prisoner exchanges but little substantive progress toward halting the fighting. The presence of Russian and European officials together in Miami marks a shift from earlier efforts, when U.S. negotiators held separate discussions with each side in different locations.

Despite that change, hopes for face-to-face Ukraine–Russia negotiations remain dim. Relations between the two countries have been severely strained by nearly four years of the deadliest conflict Europe has seen since World War II. Moscow has also argued that European involvement complicates negotiations rather than helping them.

Still, the Kremlin signaled a limited openness to dialogue elsewhere. According to spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin has indicated a willingness to speak with French President Emmanuel Macron. “Putin has expressed readiness to engage in dialogue with Macron,” Peskov told RIA Novosti. “Therefore, if there is mutual political will, then this can only be assessed positively.”

Macron’s office responded that Putin’s statement was “welcome,” while stressing that any talks with Moscow would take place “in full transparency” and in close coordination with Zelenskyy and Europe’s allies.

{Matzav.com}

At a meeting held Sunday in Yerushalayim, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu received U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham at the Prime Minister’s Office, where the two discussed regional security and the path ahead.

During the conversation, the senator offered his assessment of the situation, warning about militant activity and setting his goals for the coming year. “Bibi, you look great. Happy Hanukkah to everyone! I came here with one goal – we accomplished a lot in 2025. I want to make sure that 2026 is a year of peace and victory over the bad guys. My impression is that Hamas is not disarming, but rearming. I have the impression that they are trying to consolidate their control over Gaza, not relinquish it. And I also have the impression that Hezbollah is trying to produce more weapons. That is an unacceptable outcome.”

Netanyahu responded by agreeing with Graham’s evaluation, adding a touch of humor to his reply. “You are right on both counts. You are usually right. I could even say always, but one has to leave a little room for error.”

Earlier in the meeting, the prime minister warmly welcomed the visiting lawmaker and emphasized their longstanding relationship. “I am delighted to welcome Senator Lindsey, a great friend of Israel and a very dear friend of mine, here. We have no better friends than him. Welcome,” Netanyahu said.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said that disarming Hamas is “absolutely going to happen” and that he expects to see other countries in the region join the Abraham Accords next year.

He spoke as U.S. President’s Donald Trump’s Gaza ceasefire plan is expected to move to its second stage next month following the president’s anticipated meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida after Christmas.

“The challenge of getting Hamas disarmed is not a goal that has been abandoned,” Huckabee told JNS in an exclusive interview in his Jerusalem embassy office. “The president has been very clear: They have to disarm and recognize they have no future in Gaza.”

The U.S. envoy noted that despite Hamas’s very public refusal to disarm—calling into question how the ceasefire can move forward—the Trump administration backed by the international community is determined to see it happen.

“Am I concerned? Of course. … But do I feel it won’t happen? No. In part because of the consistency of the president’s message and demand, and in part because all the Arab partners are holding firm to that same commitment on the peace plan,” Huckabee said. “No one has backed off on that. Everyone still agrees to that.”

The ambassador continued, “It is absolutely going to happen. President Trump said they can do it the easy way or the hard way. Iran didn’t take him seriously. He told them the same thing: the easy way or the hard way. They took the hard way.”

Huckabee noted that the Oct. 10 ceasefire has held despite intermittent skirmishes in Gaza, with recruitment underway of countries to take part in an international security force for the Strip, and aid supplies reaching the enclave daily.

“We are definitely in a much better place than we were two months ago,” he said, heaping praise on Trump for forging the ceasefire agreement. “It’s the first time in two years that Israelis can go to bed without anticipation of missiles.”

In the interview, Huckabee acknowledged that Israel has “somewhat of a veto role” regarding the participation of Turkey in the future international security force, which the U.S. favors, but said that some role could be found for the Anatolian nation, in comments that suggested that a compromise was likely.

“We recognize Israel has a right to say—somewhat of a veto power on certain participation,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that the Turks can’t have some role.”

Steve Witkoff, the United States envoy to the Middle East, held talks in Miami later on Friday with senior officials from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey as efforts continue to advance to phase 2 of the Gaza ceasefire.

Expansion of the Abraham Accords

The ambassador also told JNS that he expects additional countries to make peace with Israel next year as part of the Abraham Accords.

“I’m just an ambassador not a prophet …, but based on everything I’m seeing and being a part of, I do anticipate that we will see the expansion of the Abraham Accords [in 2026],” Huckabee said. “I would not be overwhelmingly surprised if you didn’t see something that would happen very close to Israel, in Syria, Lebanon.”

The ambassador said that the regional situation was “fragile to be sure,” but that neighboring countries increasingly understand that there is far more to be gained from normalization with Israel than to be at odds with the Jewish state.

“President Trump is in a very good place to help deliver that,” Huckabee said. “I don’t think anybody else could do that. He has an uncanny ability to do things that everybody said cannot be done.”

‘Journalism is for the most part dead’

The U.S. envoy said in the interview that one of his greatest frustrations in an otherwise “dream job” was to follow the hostile media coverage of Israel during the war.

“There is an enormous level of evil in the world and a lot of it gets printed on the pages of what once were respected newspapers and sites,” Huckabee said. “I think for the most part journalism is dead. What we have now is an international opinion market.”

He cited false claims, including from U.S. allies such as the U.K, that Israel deliberately prolonged the war and was starving Gazans as canards that “gullible people soaked in like poisons.

“It has been so frustrating to watch this from a front-row seat right in the middle of this,” he said.

Huckabee also blasted continuous anonymous sources and leaks—frequently highlighted in the Israeli press—reporting tensions between the governments of Israel and the U.S., saying such reporting is purely agenda-driven.

“If there was some major dustup between the U.S. or President Trump and the prime minister of Israel, don’t you think his representative in Israel would be informed of that?” Huckabee asked. “It’s absurd. Do you really think I am sitting here in the U.S. embassy … and something of that magnitude is going on and I am oblivious to it?”

At home in Israel

The 70-year-old Baptist pastor, former Arkansas governor, television host and two-time Republican presidential candidate—who bills himself as a Maccabee—visited Israel scores of times and led thousands of participants on solidarity tours since his first trip to Israel right out of high school, just before the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

From his Jerusalem embassy perch, Huckabee lived through the multi-front war for six months after taking up his position in April (“I haven’t seen this much war since the Baptist Convention in 1982”) and expressed relief and appreciation that the days of scurrying to the bomb shelter at night have passed (“my wife no longer has her ‘missile clothes’ at the foot of the bed”), even as he voiced concern that the scourge of violence against Jews around the globe continues unabated.

He blasted the atmosphere of “irrational Jew-hatred” that has spurred a blast of antisemitism, including within his own party.

“I am constantly saying to my fellow Christians that every enemy that Israel has and the Jewish people has is ultimately the enemy of the Christian people and of America because our values systems are based on the same platform,” he said. “There is a Judeo-Christian underpinning not only to Israel but to the U.S. Without the heritage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob there would be no Israel but there would also be no America.”

Huckabee said that he feels right at home in Israel in “the assignment of a lifetime.

“We went back home to Arkansas for the first time in November for five-and-a-half days, and it was great to see the grandkids, friends and neighbors,” he said. “And as we were packing up getting ready to come back, my wife and I looked and each other and said it is time to come back home.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich weighed in on the storm surrounding Israel’s draft legislation and the status of yeshiva students, declaring that he intends to lead a process that will result in the enlistment of thousands of chareidim into the Israel Defense Forces.

Speaking in an interview with Kikar HaShabbat, Smotrich said: “We will enlist thousands upon thousands of chareidim. We will make a historic change in which chareidi society takes all of its values and charges into the State of Israel. Unlike others, I am not looking for a campaign, not looking for populism, and not looking to turn them into enemies. I want them leading—in the army, in the economy, and in public service in Israel.”

According to Smotrich, many within the chareidi community want to integrate and be part of the broader society. “I believe there are enough chareidim who want to integrate,” he said. “I am determined to bring about a dramatic change in chareidi responsibility for the State of Israel.”

He added that he wants to see chareidim playing a central role in Israel’s economy and contributing their abilities. “I am working on several amendments,” Smotrich said, declining to provide details. “I’m intentionally not saying what they are, because I want to succeed.”

In a previous interview in the studio of Kikar HaShabbat, Smotrich addressed the draft law more broadly, stating: “Only a law that leads to a real process in which the chareidi public participates in the great mitzvah of defending the security of Israel and the eternity of Israel can work. This has to happen. The situation cannot remain as it is.”

He continued: “Anyone who thinks I will be a rubber stamp doesn’t understand what he’s talking about. In my worldview, there is no exemption from this mitzvah. Let’s see what kind of law is brought. I understand that this is a process and I am prepared for that patience—but I demand that it be real and fast.”

Smotrich said he is demanding “a genuine process that will enlist thousands of chareidim every year into the IDF, including combat service and other roles where they are needed.”

He also noted that he has conveyed his position directly to Prime Minister Netanyahu. “I tell the prime minister all the time that the chareidim will support it,” Smotrich said. “We will not be a ‘Shabbos goy,’ and I demand that this law be real.”

{Matzav.com}