Matzav

Reaction to the dramatic U.S.-led operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro has reverberated far beyond Latin America, reaching Kyiv and Moscow alike and injecting new tension into already fraught global diplomacy.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded approvingly to the downfall of the Venezuelan leader, who had ruled since 2013, suggesting that similar decisive action could be applied elsewhere. Speaking after a meeting of European national security advisers, Zelensky commented on the U.S. operation, saying, per Ukrinform: “Well, what can I say? If dictators can be dealt with like this, then the United States of America knows what it should do next.”

The remarks were widely interpreted as a reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Russia’s war against Ukraine approaches its fourth year. Zelensky’s comments came as the Trump administration continues efforts to broker a long-term peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, adding an additional layer of sensitivity to an already volatile diplomatic environment.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were seized in a series of early-morning strikes carried out by a U.S. Special Forces–led operation. Both are now facing criminal charges in the Southern District of New York connected to alleged narco-terrorism activities.

In Moscow, the response was swift and sharply critical. Russian officials denounced the U.S. action, urging Washington to “reconsider their position and release the legitimately elected president of a sovereign country and his spouse.” The Kremlin further insisted that “any existing issues between the United States and Venezuela” should be resolved “through dialogue,” despite Russia’s own reliance on military force in Ukraine.

The situation has also fueled speculation about possible escalations elsewhere. Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis suggested that the Maduro operation might embolden similar thinking in Moscow, remarking that Putin could be asking himself: “Maybe I should arrest Zelensky too and hand him over to Russian justice?”

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have already been heightened following claims by the Kremlin that Ukraine carried out a drone strike targeting Putin’s presidential residence in Russia’s Novgorod region. While Moscow has asserted it possesses proof, U.S. intelligence assessments reportedly concluded that the strikes were not intended to hit the Russian leader’s residence.

Before his capture, Maduro had been a vocal ally of Putin and an outspoken critic of Zelensky. During an episode of his weekly television show, With Maduro, in March of last year, the Venezuelan leader derided the Ukrainian president as a “clown.”

Maduro also predicted a grim end for Zelensky, claiming he would ultimately be abandoned by Washington. He said it was Zelensky’s “fate” for having sold his “soul to the devil” of America.

{Matzav.com}

In a sweeping briefing, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan “Raizin” Caine laid out new details of the U.S. military operation that culminated in the arrest of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia. The mission, carried out without a single American casualty, was described as one of the most complex and tightly coordinated actions undertaken by the U.S. armed forces in recent memory.

President Trump later confirmed that the operation concluded with no loss of U.S. personnel or equipment, despite reports of explosions across Caracas in the hours leading up to the raid, including activity near Fuerte Tiuna, a major military installation believed to include Maduro’s bunker.

Caine emphasized that the effort relied on exhaustive intelligence preparation and interagency cooperation. “We leveraged our unmatched intelligence capabilities and our years of experience in hunting terrorists. We watched, we waited, we prepared.” He noted that analysts from the Central Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, and National Geospatial Intelligence Agency compiled an unusually detailed profile of Maduro, down to his daily habits, wardrobe, meals, and even the whereabouts of his pets.

According to Caine, the military had been on alert for weeks as conditions aligned. “In early December, our force was set pending a series of aligned events… through Christmas and New Year’s, the men and women of the United States military sat ready, patiently waiting for the right triggers to be met and the president to order us into action.” Timing was selected carefully to limit risk to civilians and detainees alike. As Caine explained, “choosing the right day to minimize the potential for civilian harm and maximize the element of surprise and minimize the harm to the indicted personnel, so, as the President said, they could be brought to justice.”

When the order finally came, it was decisive. “At 10:46 pm Eastern time… the President ordered the United States military to move forward with this mission. He said to us, and we appreciate it, Mr. President, ‘Good luck and Godspeed.’”

The scope of the deployment spanned much of the hemisphere. More than 150 aircraft took off from over 20 bases, involving an array of platforms and personnel. “Bombers, fighters, intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance, rotary wing were in the air. Our youngest crew member was 20, and our oldest was 49.”

As helicopters carrying the apprehension teams advanced toward Caracas at low altitude, they were shielded by an extensive aerial escort that included F-22s, F-35s, F-18s, B-1 bombers, EA-18s, and remotely piloted drones. The air campaign neutralized Venezuelan air defense systems ahead of the ground insertion to protect the force.

The helicopters reached Maduro’s compound at 2:01 a.m. local time. Upon arrival, the team came under fire and responded. “One of our aircraft was hit, but remained flyable,” Caine confirmed.

Describing the overall effort, Caine said it reflected years of accumulated experience. “This mission was meticulously planned, drawing lessons from decades of missions over the last many years.” He added, “Those in the air over Caracas last night were willing to give their lives for those on the ground and in the helicopters.”

Earlier in his remarks, Caine characterized the operation itself in stark terms. Addressing Operation Absolute Resolve, he said it was “an audacious operation that only the United States could do.” He formally outlined its legal basis at the outset of the briefing: “Last night, on the order of the President of the United States and in support of a request from the Department of Justice… the United States military conducted an apprehension mission in Caracas, Venezuela, to bring to justice [to] two indicted persons, Nicholas and Cilia Maduro.”

The operation was tied directly to federal indictments filed in the Southern District of New York. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced charges against Maduro and his wife that include narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machineguns and destructive devices.

Caine said the action demonstrated the full integration of U.S. military capabilities across domains. “This particular mission required every component of our joint force with soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and guardians, working in unison with our intelligence agency partners and law enforcement teammates.”

Summing up the broader significance, Caine underscored the message sent by the operation. “This was a powerful demonstration of America’s Joint Force. Our jobs are to integrate combat power so when the order comes, we can deliver overwhelming force… against any foe anywhere in the world.”

He concluded with praise for those who carried out the mission and their families. “I am immensely proud today of our joint force and filled with gratitude to represent them here today. There is simply no mission too difficult for these incredible professionals and the families that stand by them. Their courage and tireless commitment to our nation are what makes us strong.”

{Matzav.com}

Immigration attorneys across the country say federal officials are no longer treating marriages to U.S. citizens as a reliable path to legal status, warning that applications tied to spousal relationships are now being examined with far greater suspicion.

Lawyers say the shift accelerated after President Donald Trump directed his administration to confront what it views as widespread abuse of marriage-based visas, particularly arrangements in which migrants allegedly pay Americans to enter short-term or sham marriages.

For years, a wedding to a U.S. citizen often gave migrants a major advantage when seeking permanent residency, even though it was never an automatic guarantee of approval. Attorneys now report that those cases are being treated far more cautiously, with officials at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services probing details that previously drew little attention.

Brad Bernstein, an immigration lawyer with Spar & Bernstein, told clients that marriage to an American citizen can no longer be viewed as a near-certain route to a green card, according to reporting by NDTV.

One of the biggest changes, Bernstein says, is a new focus on whether couples actually live together. Under current enforcement priorities, the Trump administration is emphasizing a shared residence between spouses, an issue that had often been secondary in the past.

“Immigration officers do not care why you live apart, and they do not care if it’s for work, school, money, or convenience,” Bernstein said.

“So, if you’re not living in the same house every day, immigration is going to start questioning the marriage. And once they question it, they’re investigating, and once they come knocking on your door, they’re looking to deny you. So, if you want a marriage green card, you live together. Period,” he explained.

Federal officials have also issued broader warnings making clear that marriages must be genuine. USCIS has said it will deny applications where officials conclude the relationship involved “no good faith, intent to live together as spouses and intended to circumvent immigration laws.”

Beyond new applications, the administration has indicated that even existing green card holders could face renewed scrutiny. In November, officials suggested that previously granted statuses may be reopened and reassessed.

That message was made explicit in a Thanksgiving Day announcement by USCIS Director Joseph Edlow, who wrote, “At the direction of @POTUS, I have directed a full scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern.”

“The protection of this country and of the American people remains paramount, and the American people will not bear the cost of the prior administration’s reckless resettlement policies. American safety is non-negotiable,” he continued.

The administration has paired the tougher review of marriage-based cases with other sweeping immigration moves. It ended the diversity visa lottery, which had allowed as many as 55,000 migrants a year to obtain legal entry, following the arrest of Portuguese national Claudio Manuel Neves Valente on charges connected to fatal shootings at Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Valente had received his legal status through the 2017 diversity lottery program.

{Matzav.com}

Federal court records and recent reporting have shed new light on how participants in Minnesota’s sprawling Feeding Our Future fraud case allegedly used stolen pandemic relief funds to bankroll extravagant personal lifestyles instead of feeding low-income children, even as the state faces mounting scrutiny over broader welfare fraud.

According to a report by the New York Post, individuals convicted in the scheme diverted hundreds of millions of dollars from federal COVID-19 nutrition programs into luxury purchases, including high-end real estate, expensive vehicles, and overseas investments.

Court documents cited by the outlet describe purchases ranging from upscale condominiums and exotic rental cars to properties in Kenya. One defendant, 43-year-old Liban Yasin Alishire, pleaded guilty in 2023 to wire fraud and money laundering after prosecutors said he spent approximately $350,000 of the stolen funds on a Kenyan resort where visitors are offered services such as personal chefs.

Prosecutors have said the fraud operation was orchestrated by Aimee Bock, who allegedly used the nonprofit Feeding Our Future as a vehicle to submit false claims for meals that were never served. Authorities also claim Bock financially supported her former boyfriend, Empress Malcolm Watson Jr., through what they described as a sham contract that paid him a $1 million salary.

The New York Post reported that the pair frequently rented Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royces, and other exotic vehicles for roughly $2,000 per day while traveling. Court filings further state that the couple took repeated luxury trips to destinations such as Las Vegas and Graceland, with Watson Jr. posting displays of wealth on social media.

In June 2024, federal prosecutors announced charges against nearly 50 Somali Muslim immigrants in Minnesota, accusing them of stealing approximately $250 million through the Feeding Our Future umbrella of organizations.

More recently, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson warned that fraud in Minnesota extends far beyond a single case. Speaking publicly, Thompson said an estimated half of $18 billion in welfare spending in the state has been lost to fraudulent activity.

“Minnesota has become a magnet for fraud, so much so that we have developed a fraud tourism industry — people coming to our state purely to exploit and defraud its programs,” Thompson said. “This is a deeply unsettling reality that all Minnesotans should understand.”

Thompson contrasted the alleged conduct with more typical benefit fraud schemes, explaining that “traditional Medicare and Medicaid fraud is that people overbill,” but that the Minnesota cases often involve no services at all. Instead, he said, perpetrators create shell organizations and submit entirely fabricated claims for reimbursement.

The renewed attention to the Feeding Our Future case comes amid additional allegations raised by independent journalists, including Nick Shirley, whose reporting has focused on suspected fraud tied to daycare and healthcare operations linked to Minnesota’s Somali community.

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued Sunday that the administration was unable to brief lawmakers in advance of the Venezuela mission, citing the risk of leaks and the unpredictable conditions surrounding the operation. He said the circumstances were too fluid to permit prior notification, stressing that secrecy was essential.

“You can’t congressionally notify something like this for two reasons. Number one, it will leak. It’s as simple as that. And number two, it’s an exigent circumstance. It’s an emergent thing. You don’t even know if you’re going to be able to do it,” Rubio said, adding, “We didn’t know if all of the things that had to line up were going to line up at the same time in the right conditions.”

“It had to be at the right place at the right time with the right weather, and all things like that. So those are very difficult to notify, but the number one reason is operational security.”

Rubio made the remarks during an appearance on ABC News’s This Week, where he rejected claims that the United States violated the law by acting without congressional authorization.

“It wasn’t necessary because this is not an invasion. We didn’t occupy a country,” Rubio said in response to questions from host George Stephanopoulos.

He emphasized that the mission should be viewed as a criminal arrest rather than a military campaign. “This was an arrest operation. This was a law enforcement operation. He was arrested on the ground in Venezuela by FBI agents, read his rights and removed from the country,” Rubio said.

U.S. forces carried out a covert overnight action into Saturday to seize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, transporting them to New York to face charges tied to drug trafficking, terrorism, and firearms offenses. Maduro is now being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center.

According to Rubio, the planning for the mission began months ago, following a series of threats and maritime strikes aimed at what U.S. officials described as “narco-terrorists.” He said the arrest could not have been carried out without military support.

“Obviously, this was not a friendly territory,” Rubio said, explaining why the Pentagon was involved.

“So in order to arrest him we had to ask the Department of War to become involved in the operation. The Department of War went in. They hit anything that was a threat to the agents that were going in to arrest him, and they hit anything that was a threat on the way out,” he said.

WATCH:

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[Video below.] House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the administration must face limits on its actions in Venezuela, calling on lawmakers to reassert their authority once Congress reconvenes. He argued that any additional steps involving the South American nation should not move forward without lawmakers’ clear consent.

Speaking Sunday, Jeffries contended that the White House has failed to demonstrate that the dramatic operation against Venezuela was necessary to protect Americans. Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, he said, “There’s been no evidence that the administration has presented to justify the actions that were taken in terms of there being an imminent threat to the health, the safety, the well-being, the national security of the American people.”

The Democratic leader also criticized the decision-making behind the raid that resulted in Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, being taken into custody and flown to a federal detention facility in Brooklyn. Jeffries described the move as “an act of war.”

President Donald Trump defended the operation a day earlier, telling reporters that detaining Maduro was required to curb the flow of narcotics and criminal networks into the United States and to halt shipments of Venezuelan oil sold in violation of sanctions. He also said Maduro had undermined regional stability through ties with China, Russia, and Iran.

Trump further stated that Washington would temporarily take charge of Venezuela, saying the United States would “run [Venezuela] until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” He added that American energy firms would “fix” the country’s oil sector, pointing to Venezuela’s vast petroleum reserves.

Jeffries questioned whether that approach would actually improve conditions for Venezuelans, arguing that Trump’s leadership record suggests otherwise. “It remains to be seen whether the people of Venezuela are going to be better off,” he said.

“He’s done a terrible job running the United States of America,” Jeffries added. “Life hasn’t gotten better for the American people over the last year; life has gotten worse.”

The capture of Maduro drew applause from Republican lawmakers, while many Democrats objected to the lack of advance notice to Congress. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio countered that alerting lawmakers beforehand would have risked the success of the mission.

{Matzav.com}

As debate over Chareidi conscription intensifies, Shas has made clear it will not back the 2026 state budget unless the coalition first advances legislation formalizing exemptions and regulation for Chareidi enlistment. Party spokesman Asher Medina issued the warning on Sunday, signaling a move that could topple Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s government if carried through.

With the March 31 deadline for passing the budget looming, the 11 Knesset seats held by Shas are pivotal. Failure to approve the budget on time would automatically dissolve the Knesset and send the country to early elections, giving the party significant leverage in coalition negotiations.

Speaking to Radio Kol Barama, Medina framed the proposed law as a defining issue for the Chareidi public. “From the perspective of the Chareidi public, the draft law is as far-reaching as one could possibly imagine. With God’s help, we will support the law because it is the only thing that will save the world of Torah,” he said. He added pointedly that “the only thing that will stop the arrests is not demonstrations, but legislation.”

For roughly a year and a half, Chareidi leaders have pressed for a statutory arrangement keeping full-time yeshiva students out of the Israel Defense Forces, following a High Court ruling that invalidated the longstanding blanket exemptions granted to them. The ruling upended decades of policy and placed immediate pressure on both the government and the Chareidi community.

Estimates suggest that around 80,000 Chareidi men between the ages of 18 and 24 are currently eligible for military service but have not enlisted. At the same time, the IDF has stated that it needs some 12,000 additional recruits urgently, citing the heavy burden on standing and reserve forces amid the war with Hamas in Gaza and other security demands.

Shas lawmakers have consistently backed the proposed legislation, which would preserve exemptions for full-time yeshiva students while ostensibly encouraging greater enlistment among graduates of Chareidi educational frameworks. In recent weeks, they have even voiced support for the bill during visits to Chareidi draft evaders held in military prison.

In a separate Kol Barama interview on Sunday, Shas MK Michael Malkieli stressed that his party is acting in full coordination with United Torah Judaism, despite a very public dispute between the two factions over control of Yerushalayim’s religious council.

Medina’s remarks followed closely on comments from a senior Degel HaTorah figure, part of the UTJ alliance, who told Ynet that “if there is no progress” on the enlistment bill, “we will not vote in favor of the budget…and if that means the government falls, then let the government fall.”

Both Shas and UTJ have previously rejected claims that they were explicitly threatening to bring down the government over the issue. Nonetheless, the pressure campaign appears to have resonated at the top of the coalition.

Addressing a meeting focused on funding for Chareidi education on Sunday, Netanyahu urged lawmakers to move far more quickly on the contentious bill. “We need to accelerate the completion of the conscription law legislation — everything depends on it,” Ynet quoted him as saying.

Under the proposed framework, yeshiva students who ignored draft orders over the past year would effectively have their status reset. Yeshivos would also immediately regain half of the funding that was cut following the High Court’s 2024 decision, a step meant to ease both financial strain and legal exposure within the community.

Those granted deferments would face travel-related sanctions, though critics argue these measures are largely symbolic and would expire once individuals reach age 26. More substantial penalties affecting subsidies would only be imposed if enlistment targets are missed.

The legislation has drawn sharp criticism from the Attorney General’s Office, the IDF, and the Finance Ministry, all of which contend that it is unlikely to produce a meaningful rise in Chareidi enlistment.

In a legal opinion circulated to lawmakers over the weekend, Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee legal adviser Miri Frenkel Shor faulted the bill’s gradual, multi-year approach to sanctions and urged a reconsideration of the clause that ends penalties at age 26, when repeated deferments become a permanent exemption.

Echoing that concern, a Finance Ministry representative told the committee on Sunday that “setting an expiration date for the sanctions empties most of them of their substance.”

Opposition lawmakers also assailed the sanctions structure, questioning why the bill calls for an exceptions committee that would include a representative from the Yeshiva Committee — an organization that a Times of Israel investigation found actively advises yeshiva students on how to evade the draft.

Also on Sunday, UTJ chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf took an uncompromising stance, arguing that instead of penalizing those who choose Torah study over military service, “all sanctions should be abolished.” He told the committee, “I implore the committee: If there are those who study Torah, exempt them from everything. They should not be tied to quotas or targets,” and accused supporters of sanctions of promoting a “yellow star” for Torah scholars.

That remark drew immediate and fierce backlash. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid responded by invoking his own family history, saying, “My father wore a yellow star in the Budapest ghetto simply because there was no Jewish army to protect his life. My grandfather wore a yellow star when he was murdered in a concentration camp,” and labeling Goldknopf’s comparison “the dream of every antisemite.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also condemned Goldknopf, saying there was “no place in our coalition” for individuals “who don’t stop harming the people of Israel, IDF fighters and Torah scholars.” In a post on X, he added, “Our heroic fighters are the ones battling the Nazis of every generation and preventing them from carrying out the Final Solution conceived by the one who devised the yellow star.”

Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth sought to strike a measured tone, saying, “The members of the committee know the immense respect I have for Torah scholars and, in general, for the Chareidi world, but a yellow patch is not here — we need to set a limit.”

UTJ MK Meir Porush went even further than Goldknopf, warning that cutting daycare subsidies to families of draft evaders would lead to “starvation” among Chareidim and could violate Israel’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Unlike Degel HaTorah and Shas, the Agudas Yisrael faction led by Goldknopf and Porush has openly opposed the bill, with Goldknopf saying he cannot support any legislation that includes sanctions at all.

Defending the draft, Bismuth, a Likud MK and the author of the revised version, dismissed the criticism as detached from reality. Addressing Yisrael Beytenu MK Sharon Nir, he argued that following her approach would mean “there will be not be 17,000 [Chareidi] soldiers, there will be 17,000 prisoners and 5,000 soldiers forced to guard them.”

As the political battle played out in the Knesset, tensions spilled into the streets. Chareidi protesters attempted to block recruits at the Yerushalayim enlistment office and at the Bakum induction base in central Israel, prompting clashes with police who used water cannons to disperse the crowds.

Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon also weighed in on Sunday, accusing the government of defying a High Court directive by failing to implement tougher sanctions against draft evaders, a lapse he described as a “constitutional crisis.” “The High Court required the formulation of the policy by today. This constitutes a violation of the ruling,” Ynet quoted him as telling a weekly cabinet meeting after a court-imposed deadline expired.

In mid-November, the High Court had granted the government 45 days to craft effective enforcement tools, including criminal proceedings, against Chareidi yeshiva students who refused to comply with conscription orders.

In a unanimous ruling, the justices charged that the government and state authorities had almost “totally shirked” their duty to enforce the law against Chareidi draft dodgers, calling it a case of selective enforcement and a breach of the state’s obligation to uphold its own laws.

The court instructed the government to promptly initiate criminal proceedings against those already deemed draft evaders and to present, by January 4, civil and economic enforcement measures with a strong likelihood of success against all who ignore enlistment orders.

According to reports, Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs responded to Limon by saying that “the government’s policy is to approve the conscription law.”

{Matzav.com}

Speaking before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, a senior IDF officer reported that a significant number of Chareidi men had entered military service earlier today, marking what could become the largest enlistment of its kind in recent years. Brig. Gen. Shay Tayeb, who heads the Planning and Personnel Management Division within the IDF Personnel Directorate, told lawmakers that by the afternoon hours, “there were over 210 fighters and over 140 combat support troops and it is likely that in 10 days this will end with the largest enlistment in recent times.”

The recruits, most of whom were slated for combat or combat-support roles, were assigned to frameworks geared toward the Chareidi public, including the Netzach Yehuda battalion, the Chashmonaim brigade, and additional tracks designed to accommodate a Chareidi lifestyle within the army.

The enlistment took place despite efforts by Chareidi demonstrators to block the process. Protests were reported both at the Yerushalayim enlistment office and at the Bakum induction base in central Israel, where clashes erupted between demonstrators and police. Law enforcement ultimately used water cannons to disperse the crowds.

According to Ynet, protesters shouted warnings that the recruits would abandon their religious way of life in the army and hurled harsh accusations at them, calling the enlistees “sinners” and “murderers.”

{Matzav.com}

Following the US military operation that removed Venezuela’s leadership, President Donald Trump said the United States would take control of the country, arguing that the situation on the ground left no better alternative. In a telephone interview with The Atlantic, Trump said that “rebuilding there and regime change — anything you want to call it — is better than what you have right now.”

Trump expanded on that point by delivering a blunt assessment of Venezuela’s condition. “Rebuilding is not a bad thing in Venezuela’s case,” he said. “The country’s gone to —-. It’s a failed country. It’s a totally failed country. It’s a country that’s a disaster in every way.”

His remarks came a day after US forces carried out overnight strikes in Caracas, hitting military targets and taking Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife into custody. The pair were transported to New York City, where Maduro was jailed to face federal narco-trafficking charges.

In the aftermath of the operation, the Trump administration signaled that it was prepared to work with other elements of the Venezuelan government, provided that Washington’s objectives were met. Those goals included opening the country’s vast crude oil reserves to US investment.

Amid the upheaval, Delcy Rodriguez was confirmed as interim president by Venezuela’s Supreme Court and senior military officials. She responded defiantly to the US action, insisting that Maduro remained the nation’s only legitimate leader and declaring that “we’re ready to defend our natural resources.”

Trump, however, issued a direct warning to Rodriguez, saying her future depended on her cooperation with Washington. “If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” he told The Atlantic.

{Matzav.com}

Sharp reactions rippled through the Knesset on Sunday night after comments made by MK Yitzchak Goldknopf of United Torah Judaism during a heated session of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee focused on the proposed conscription legislation.

In the committee session, Goldknopf had addressed the sanctions included in the draft law and likened them to “a yellow star for Torah students,” a statement that immediately sparked outrage across party lines.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid responded with a deeply personal rebuke, addressing Goldknopf directly. He said that his father wore a yellow star in the Budapest ghetto because there was no Jewish army to defend him, and that his grandfather was forced to wear one before being murdered in a concentration camp. Lapid charged that the comparison trivialized the Holocaust and demeaned the sacrifice of IDF soldiers, describing the remarks as damaging and profoundly offensive.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also weighed in forcefully, saying there is no place in the coalition for leaders who are “disconnected, insensitive, and who repeatedly harm Israeli society, IDF soldiers, and Torah students.” He stressed that Goldknopf is no longer part of the mainstream coalition and is not expected to return.

Smotrich added that IDF soldiers are those standing on the front lines against antisemitism and its contemporary expressions. He said the Religious Zionist camp believes it is possible to unite Torah learning with military service and is committed to showing that the chareidi public can do so as well.

Committee chairman MK Boaz Bismuth of Likud publicly distanced himself from the analogy. While expressing “great respect for Torah scholars and the chareidi community,” he said the language used “crosses a line” and has no place in such a discussion.

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli issued his own sharp criticism, calling the comparison a sign of extreme political detachment. He said that equating draft-related sanctions with the yellow star reflects a profound disconnect and added that the public deserves more responsible leadership, particularly on matters so sensitive to Jewish history and national unity.

{Matzav.com}

Ukrainian military intelligence has revealed a covert operation in which Russian authorities were manipulated into paying a $500,000 assassination bounty to their own enemies, after being deceived into believing a wanted anti-Kremlin figure had been killed.

According to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, the operation was designed both to protect Denis Kapustin, commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps, and to uncover a hostile intelligence network tasked with eliminating him. Officials described the effort as a “complex, multi-stage” mission coordinated with a pro-Ukrainian Russian group.

The ruse hinged on convincing Russian operatives that Kapustin had been successfully assassinated. Ukrainian intelligence officers staged drone footage to simulate his supposed death, creating visual evidence intended to satisfy Moscow’s handlers.

Two strike drones were central to the deception. One drone appeared to strike a vehicle allegedly carrying Kapustin, while a second drone documented the aftermath, showing a burning car that served as “proof” of the purported hit.

Ukrainian officials said the fabricated material was convincing enough that Russian intelligence proceeded to release the promised bounty. The $500,000 payment, intended as a reward for Kapustin’s assassination, was transferred to Ukrainian operatives.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence said the funds are now being redirected to strengthen its special forces, effectively turning a Russian assassination contract into financial support for Ukraine’s war effort.

The Telegraph reported that Kapustin was falsely declared dead on Dec. 27, with Russia’s own volunteer force initially echoing the claim in a Telegram post that vowed revenge and stated, “Your legacy lives on.”

That report noted that Moscow had pursued Kapustin for years and was prepared to pay a substantial sum for his elimination, underscoring how damaging his group’s activities have been for the Kremlin.

The deception unraveled publicly on New Year’s Day, when Kapustin appeared alive in a video released by Ukraine’s military intelligence. He was shown standing beside Gen. Kyrylo Budanov.

In the video, Budanov congratulated those involved in the operation and openly mocked Russia’s security services for unwittingly financing Ukraine’s military campaign. He said he was pleased that the funds meant for Kapustin’s “liquidation” were instead used to support Ukraine’s fight.

The Guardian reported that Ukrainian intelligence portrayed the operation as both a defensive maneuver and a counterintelligence success, preserving Kapustin’s life while identifying those behind the plot, including alleged planners within Russia’s special services and operatives recruited to carry out the attack.

According to the report, the “Timur Special Unit,” which is linked to Kapustin, also received funds allocated for the assassination.

The episode adds to a growing list of intelligence successes by Ukraine against Moscow’s security apparatus, including the Federal Security Service and the GRU, long considered among the world’s most formidable intelligence agencies.

It also highlights how deception, drone technology, and covert operations are playing an increasingly central role in a conflict that is evolving into a high-tech shadow war fought far beyond traditional battlefields.

{Matzav.com}

Diplomatic contacts between Israel and Syria are set to resume this week, with senior representatives from both countries scheduled to convene in Paris on Monday to reopen discussions toward a new security framework, Axios reported, citing an Israeli official and another individual familiar with the matter.

The planned meetings are expected to span two days and will bring together Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and a newly assembled Israeli negotiating team. According to the report, the talks are intended to focus on a potential security arrangement that would address demilitarization in southern Syria, alongside an Israeli pullback from territories entered following the collapse of the Assad regime.

The renewed effort comes after President Trump personally urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to restart the negotiations during their recent meeting in Mar-a-Lago, Axios reported. Netanyahu agreed to move forward with additional talks while underscoring that any agreement must safeguard Israel’s security interests.

This upcoming round will be the first in nearly two months and represents the fifth session overall. Previous negotiations were put on hold amid wide disagreements between the parties and following the resignation of Israel’s earlier lead negotiator, former Minister Ron Dermer.

The initiative is being actively supported by the Trump administration, which has prioritized stabilizing the security situation along the Israel-Syria border. President Trump’s Syria envoy, Tom Barrack, is expected to play a mediating role during the discussions.

In preparation for the Paris meetings, Netanyahu appointed a new Israeli delegation led by Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter. Other members named by Axios include Netanyahu’s military adviser, Gen. Roman Gofman, and acting National Security Adviser Gill Reich.

{Matzav.com}

The Jewish community in Lausanne issued a statement mourning the loss of two young girls after the deadly blaze, saying, “it is with great sorrow that we announce the deaths of Alicia and Diana, who were tragically killed in a fire. The community partakes in the family’s mourning and will stand beside it as needed.” Alicia and Diana Gunst were sisters, ages 14 and 15, whose bodies were confirmed earlier in the day.

ZAKA’s International Unit later reported that another missing victim from the same incident has now been identified. The organization said that the remains of Charlotte Needham, a 15-year-old Israeli citizen, were located and formally identified following the inferno at the ski resort in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, where she had been unaccounted for.

In the aftermath of the disaster, ZAKA personnel remain active on the ground, working in coordination with Swiss authorities. Their teams are continuing to assist local police, emergency responders, and security forces as recovery and investigative efforts proceed at the site.

The fire at the popular Alpine resort has sent shockwaves through Jewish communities in Switzerland and abroad, as confirmations of the victims’ identities bring a painful close to days of uncertainty surrounding those who had been missing.

A press conference held by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was momentarily interrupted when a Chabad truck drove past the event blasting the song “Hinei Ma Tov,” bringing the proceedings to a brief standstill.

The incident occurred as Mamdani was in the midst of announcing members of his new cabinet and outlining a series of administrative changes. As the music echoed through the area, aides and reporters paused, and the mayor stopped speaking until the truck passed and the sound faded.

“It’s a good song,” Mamdani said.

WATCH:

While announcing new members of his administration, Mayor Zohran Mamdani stopped to listen to a passing Chabad truck that was playing “Hinei Ma Tov.”

“It’s a good song,” Mamdani said. pic.twitter.com/OVnbcKMcHp

— Anash Reporter (@AnashReporter) January 3, 2026

Critics are sharply attacking the choice of schools chancellor made by Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani, arguing that his appointee represents an aggressive ideological agenda focused on race and opposition to merit-based education, according to comments made to The New York Post.

At the center of the criticism is Kamar Samuels, a veteran educator who previously led school districts covering parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan and is known for dismantling Gifted & Talented programs. Mamdani selected Samuels to run the nation’s largest public school system after his tenure as a district superintendent.

Samuels previously oversaw District 13 in downtown Brooklyn and later District 3 on the Upper West Side. During that time, he promoted a series of policies framed around “equity” and “antiracism,” while regularly hosting town halls dedicated to those themes.

“I don’t like him, I’ve never liked him; he came in as an ideologue,” a Department of Education official told The Post, adding that he believes Samuels is an “idiot.”

Samuels, now 48, ran District 13 before being appointed in 2022 to lead District 3 by then-Mayor Eric Adams. In both districts, he organized and promoted repeated “Anti-Racist Town Hall” events that critics say pushed a woke agenda under the banner of equity. One such event in February 2022 featured far-left Brooklyn Councilwoman Crystal Hudson as a guest speaker.

“You are invited to join D3 town hall: A courageous conversation about equity,” Samuels wrote in a 2023 post.

“District 13 continues our conversation on serving all students in an Anti-Racist District tonight at 7pm when we hear from students at MS 266 and PS 133! Tuesday, June 7 @ 7:00 pm Anti-Racist Town Hall,” Samuels posted in June 2022.

Critics also point to Samuels’ social media activity as evidence of what they describe as an obsessive focus on race. Following the altercation between comedian Chris Rock and actor Will Smith at the 2022 Academy Awards, Samuels weighed in publicly.

“Just wondering … If Chris Rock were white, would Will Smith had slapped him?” Samuels wrote on X after what became known as “the slap heard round the world.”

In June 2023, Samuels hosted an “equity” town hall alongside Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, an outspoken opponent of standardized testing who has claimed such exams originated in the eugenics movement and has faced accusations of antisemitism.

“Israel is a terrorist state,” she wrote in an Oct. 1 post on X.

During Samuels’ leadership of District 13, he eliminated Gifted & Talented programs and replaced them with International Baccalaureate offerings, a move that drew significant backlash.

“What a pleasant surprise! Removing G&T gives us an opportunity to recreate and reimagine,” Samuels said in October 2021.

“He has a progressive vision that is evil, asking individuals to solve all of society’s problems is not something that’s generally worked,” the DOE official told The Post.

Despite the criticism, Samuels aligns closely with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s education platform. Ending the long-standing Gifted & Talented program for kindergarten students was a central pledge of Mamdani’s campaign.

The program itself has been politically contentious in recent years. Bill de Blasio began phasing it out in 2021, before his successor, Eric Adams, moved to revive it during his administration.

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In a sharp escalation of rhetoric following the U.S. military action that targeted Venezuelan state infrastructure, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez accused Israel of playing a role in the operation that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and first lady Celia Flores.

Speaking during an address in which she convened the National Defense Council, Rodríguez charged that the strike bore ideological fingerprints she described as foreign and hostile. “The governments of the world are shocked that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is the victim and target of an attack of this nature, which undoubtedly has Zionist undertones,” she said. “It’s truly shameful.”

Rodríguez rejected statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting that she had been sworn in as Venezuela’s president or had expressed readiness to cooperate with Washington. She insisted that Maduro remains the nation’s sole legitimate leader and said security forces had already secured key government installations.

She also demanded the immediate release of both Maduro and Flores, arguing that their detention was carried out under false pretenses as part of a broader effort to impose regime change and gain control over Venezuela’s natural resources.

The vice president’s comments have raised concerns among members of Venezuela’s small Jewish community, both inside the country and among Venezuelans living abroad, amid fears that such rhetoric could inflame tensions or invite reprisals.

The latest accusations echo earlier remarks by Maduro himself during a period of heightened friction between Caracas and Washington late last year. At a November 15 Bolivarian Integral Base Committee event, he blamed Zionists for seeking Venezuela’s destruction. “There are those who want to hand this country over to the devils – you know who, right? The far Right Zionists want to hand this country over to the devils,” Maduro said. “Who will prevail? The people of [King] David, the people of God, the people of [Simón] Bolívar, or the imperialist demons?”

During that same period, Maduro repeatedly stressed that Venezuela is a Christian nation, questioning why the United States would seek to harm Christians as U.S. forces increased their presence in the Caribbean and carried out strikes on vessels accused of drug trafficking.

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Rudy Giuliani said the federal case against Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro could result in sweeping financial consequences, including the confiscation of enormous sums of money and property tied to criminal activity.

In an interview on Newsmax’s “Saturday Report,” the former New York City mayor and longtime federal prosecutor said the use of racketeering statutes is central to the government’s strategy. “The real value of a racketeering charge is that you can seize the business and take it away from them,” Giuliani said.

According to Giuliani, a conviction would allow U.S. authorities to target not only individuals but entire criminal enterprises, including drug routes, infrastructure, and cash flows both inside Venezuela and abroad. “So, assuming a conviction on some, if not all of the charges, we would stand to seize billions and billions of dollars in ill-gotten gains, which then could be used for our benefit, for the benefit of the people of Venezuela, and to destroy this animal.”

He said the scope of potential punishment is still unclear at this stage, but emphasized the severity of the charges. Alongside racketeering counts, Maduro faces terrorism-related allegations that could carry the most serious penalties available under federal law, including life imprisonment or even capital punishment.

Giuliani noted that prosecutors are now adjusting their approach following Maduro’s detention by U.S. authorities. “The criminal penalties are significant,” he said, adding that the government’s legal teams will sharpen their focus as the case moves closer to trial. “I suspect it will now be refined for trial and focus in on the defendants that are going to be the focus of the trial.”

He also argued that Maduro’s alleged criminal network has had far-reaching consequences well beyond Venezuela. “He’s been enormously damaging to the United States. Drugs, massive numbers, Tren de Aragua, helping Iran constantly, and giving aid and assistance to China and Russia,” Giuliani said.

Giuliani sharply criticized the administration of Joe Biden, saying it failed to confront the expansion of Maduro’s alleged criminal operations and allowed them to grow unchecked.

By contrast, Giuliani said the current administration marks a dramatic shift. With President Donald Trump back in the White House, he said the moment represents a turning point. “So, this is an unbelievably great day for the people of Venezuela and for the people of America.”

Trump announced overnight that U.S. special operations forces had carried out a surprise operation to extract Maduro from his compound in Venezuela, also detaining his wife during the mission.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio later said the operation should serve as a warning to other criminally active leaders around the world, signaling that Trump’s administration intends to upend the status quo.

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Israel’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, Rav Kalman Meir Ber, has been appointed to serve as the rov of the Raananim Shul in Yerushalayim. He will be filling the position previously held by Rav Avigdor Berstein zt”l, who passed away during Chanukah.

It has emerged that in recent weeks, the Ahavas Chaim kehillah—comprised primarily of young families from the neighborhood—officially joined the Raananim Shul. The unification was orchestrated by Rav Berstein in the final period of his life.

With Rav Bar now assuming the role of shul rov, the move is seen as a continuation and strengthening of that vision.

The Ahavas Chaim kehillah was founded approximately four and a half years ago, during the aftermath of the COVID period, by young families from the Talbiya–Rechavia area and nearby neighborhoods. Their goal was to establish a vibrant, meaningful Torah community in the heart of Yerushalayim.

The community brings together families from diverse backgrounds—French- and English-speaking olim alongside native Israelis; chareidi and dati-leumi families; Ashkenazim and Sephardim—creating a warm, inclusive, and close-knit environment. Its activities focus on providing Torah and educational programming tailored specifically to young families choosing to settle once again in central Yerushalayim, with a strong emphasis on shared learning, tefillah, and communal life.

During the week, the kehillah operates an evening kollel, where members gather for regular Torah learning.

It is noteworthy that the site houses an ancient and striking aron kodesh and bimah dating back to the 18th century, brought from Italy. At the dedication of the aron kodesh in Padua, a special tefillah was composed by the Ramchal, adding a layer of historical and spiritual significance to the shul now led by the Chief Rabbi.

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President Donald Trump said that bringing an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine has proven far more difficult than he anticipated, even as he reiterated his desire to halt the bloodshed and criticized multiple actors involved in the conflict.

Speaking at a press conference, Trump stressed that the war predates his return to office and again placed the responsibility for its outbreak on his predecessor. “And look, that’s former President Joe Biden’s war. That’s not my war,” he said. “But I want to stop the lives.”

Trump described the scale of the fighting in stark terms, citing what he said were devastating monthly casualty figures. “Did you see where last month 30,000. This last it was 27, 27,000 the month before; 30,000 mostly soldiers were killed. This last month. 30,000. I want to stop that,” he said.

He emphasized that the toll of the conflict extends beyond the battlefield and into Ukrainian cities, where civilians are also being killed. “Life is a big deal,” Trump said. “But if I can stop that war and stop 30,000 young people, in addition to the fact that people are being killed in Kyiv, people are being killed in other cities throughout, you know, a much smaller number, but they’re being killed, viciously killed.”

While acknowledging the complexity of the situation, Trump said he initially believed resolving the Russia-Ukraine war would be among the easier diplomatic challenges. “I thought the easiest one would be, one of the easier ones would be Russia, Ukraine. It’s not,” he said. “And they both have done some pretty bad things.”

Trump also addressed his recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the topic of Venezuela did not come up. At the same time, he voiced sharp criticism of Putin’s conduct in the war. He said he is “not thrilled” with the Russian leader, accusing him of “killing too many people,” and described the conflict overall as a “bloodbath” that he wants to see end.

Turning to NATO, Trump highlighted his efforts to push alliance members to increase defense spending and outlined ongoing American military assistance to Ukraine. “You know, I got NATO to pay 5% instead of the 2% that they weren’t paying. They weren’t paying two. Now they pay five, and we send them a lot of munitions,” he said. “We send them a lot of things, missiles and various other things a lot. And they pay.”

Trump said his administration is actively engaged in efforts to bring the war to a close, pointing to the involvement of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and suggesting that some progress is being made. “We have Mr. Witkoff here. I think that we’re making progress,” he said. “But that’s a war that should have never happened. If I were president, it would have never happened. Putin says it. Everybody says it.”

Summing up his view of the situation he inherited, Trump said the conflict was already entrenched by the time he took office. “I inherited that war,” he said. “That was Joe Biden, [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, and Putin. I came into the situation, and it’s a mess.”

Twin Italian-Jewish sisters, both in their teens, were confirmed on Sunday to be among the 40 fatalities from a fire that broke out at a hotel in Switzerland at a New Year’s party just after midnight Friday.

Another Jewish teenage girl, Charlotte Niddam, who is an Israeli citizen, is still missing.

Sisters Alicia and Diana Gunst were initially considered missing in the ski town of Crans-Montana in the Swiss Alps, but their bodies were identified along with 16 others out of the known 40 dead, a spokesperson for the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities (SIG) said.

Sparklers on bottles being carried too close to the ceiling are the likely cause of the fire during New Year’s celebrations at the bar, a preliminary investigation has found. In addition to the 40 slain, 119 others were injured in the fire. Many of the approximately 80 critically injured have also not yet been identified.

Many of the dead and missing are teenagers. The Le Constellation bar, where the fire broke out, was popular with teenagers and young adults in the ski resort town of Crans-Montana, where the drinking age is 16.

On Saturday, eight casualties were identified and their remains were returned to their families. All were aged between 16 and 24, Swiss authorities said. On Sunday, another 16 were identified, including the Gunst sisters.

The French couple who own the bar—named by the media as Jacques and Jessica Moretti—are suspected of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence, the prosecutors’ office for the Valais region said.

Beatrice Pilloud, Valais canton lead prosecutor, said in a statement that investigators were looking into whether the acoustic foam on the venue’s ceiling was “the cause of the problem,” as well as “whether it complies with regulations,” the BBC reported. JNS

{Matzav.com}