Matzav

Newly unsealed intelligence papers from Argentina expose a disturbing truth: SS Commander Josef Mengele, the notorious Auschwitz butcher known as the “Angel of Death,” lived openly in South America for years even though officials were fully aware of who he was. According to the documents, first highlighted by the New York Post, authorities tracked his steps yet never managed—nor decisively attempted—to bring him to justice.

Mengele had slipped out of Germany in 1949, vanishing just as the revelations of the Nuremberg trials made clear the full scale of his atrocities. His sadistic medical “research,” which included handpicking victims for the gas chambers and carrying out gruesome experiments, earned him his infamous title long before he disappeared overseas.

The intelligence reports, released by Argentinian President Javier Milei, reveal that South American authorities regularly exchanged information about his whereabouts. Still, bungled timing, bureaucratic delays, and even media leaks repeatedly gave him the chance to slip away. Each misstep widened the gap between his crimes and the justice he never faced.

Using an Italian passport under the alias Helmut Gregor, Mengele entered Argentina in 1949. By the middle of the next decade, the records show that officials already knew that the “Angel of Death” was living among them. Yet he continued building a life there without interference.

One document contains a harrowing newspaper interview with Auschwitz survivor José Furmanski, who said: “He gathered twins of all ages in the camp and subjected them to experiments that always ended in death. Between the children, the elderly, and women… what horrors.”

Incredibly, by 1956 Mengele felt confident enough to contact the West German Embassy in Buenos Aires to request his original birth certificate. He even began using his real name again. A 1957 memo recounts how he “explained” why he had entered Argentina under an alias: “He (Mengele) demonstrated being nervous, having stated that during the war he acted as a physician in the German S.S., in Czechoslovakia, where the Red Cross labeled him a ‘war criminal.’”

The files further detail that Argentine authorities knew exactly where he lived—Carapachy, near Buenos Aires. They were aware that he had married his brother’s widow and that his father visited him, possibly to support his medical ventures.

When West Germany finally issued an arrest warrant in 1959, the request for extradition was swiftly rejected by a local judge who claimed it amounted to “political persecution.” International calls for action escalated, but Mengele slipped away once more, this time into Paraguay, where he obtained citizenship and resumed life under government protection. Police raided his Buenos Aires laboratory, only to find an empty workspace.

Later investigations depended almost entirely on foreign press reports. By 1960, Mengele had settled in Brazil with the help of sympathetic German farmers. There he lived out the rest of his days, dying from a stroke while swimming near Bertioga. Buried under a fabricated name, his remains were finally unearthed in 1985—decades too late for the justice denied to his countless victims.

{Matzav.com}

Gov. Tim Walz used his appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday to level sharp criticism at President Donald Trump, insisting he sees troubling signs about Trump’s ability to handle the responsibilities of the presidency. Walz, the Democrats’ unsuccessful vice-presidential candidate, said he believes the president’s recent conduct raises serious red flags.

The conversation turned tense when host Kristen Welker revisited Walz’s call for Trump to make his MRI results public. “Part of your initial response to President Trump’s post was to call for him to release the results of his MRI, and I want to give you a chance to give our viewers exactly a sense of what you’re — what exactly are you suggesting by that, governor?” she asked.

Walz argued that Trump’s holiday behavior was out of step with ordinary moments Americans shared over Thanksgiving. “Well, here we got a guy on Thanksgiving where we spent time with our families, we ate, we played Yahtzee, we cheered for football or whatever, this guy is apparently in a room ranting about everything else. This is not normal behavior. It is not healthy. And presidents throughout time have released a couple of things. They’ve released their tax returns, not Donald Trump. And they released their medical records, not Donald Trump. And look, the MRI is one thing, but I think what’s most concerning about this is — as your viewers out there are listening, has anyone in the history of the world ever have an MRI assigned to them and have no idea what it was for, as he says?”

From Walz’s perspective, Trump’s comments and late-night messages suggest deeper issues. He continued, “So look, it’s clear the president’s fading physically, I think the mental capacity again, ranting, you know, crazily at midnight on Thanksgiving about everything else. There’s reasons for us to be concerned. This is a guy that randomly says the airspace over Venezuela is closed. He’s ruminating on if you could win a nuclear war. Look, this is a serious position. It’s the most powerful position in the world. And we have someone at midnight throwing around slurs that demonize our children. At the same time, he’s not solving any of the problems. So I’m deeply concerned that he is incapable of doing the job.”

{Matzav.com}

Zohran Mamdani’s landslide election as New York City’s next mayor has sent shockwaves through the city’s real estate establishment, prompting a scramble among developers, landlords, and property organizations who now fear a political landscape they no longer control, Politico reported Sunday.

The incoming administration is preparing to unveil one of the most aggressive housing interventions in city history: a proposed four-year freeze on rents for nearly 1 million rent-stabilized units — homes occupied by roughly 2 million New Yorkers. According to Politico, Mamdani’s camp views the freeze as a lifeline for residents overwhelmed by soaring living costs, while building owners warn it could push thousands of regulated properties into insolvency.

Real estate interests are now bracing for open conflict. Once accustomed to shaping policy in both City Hall and Albany, industry leaders are exploring an array of defensive strategies. They are weighing potential lawsuits, lobbying maneuvers in the state legislature, and even urging outgoing Mayor Eric Adams to make last-minute appointments to the Rent Guidelines Board in an effort to slow Mamdani’s influence, the report said.

Landlords argue that many stabilized buildings are already struggling to stay afloat. They point to stagnant regulated rents paired with skyrocketing taxes, insurance premiums, and maintenance costs — a combination they say has destabilized their financial footing.

This intensifying battle marks the continuation of a political realignment years in the making. For decades, property owners held enormous sway, securing favorable outcomes through alliances with Republican state senators and close ties inside City Hall. That power structure collapsed after Democrats took full control of Albany in 2019 and passed sweeping tenant-rights legislation that closed off major avenues for rent increases or deregulation.

Meanwhile, tenant groups — driven by surging rents and a vacancy rate under 1% for apartments priced below $2,400 — have coalesced around Mamdani as a symbol of their frustration. His tongue-in-cheek shirt mocking Adams for raising his rent went viral, turning him into a champion of tenant activism.

Supporters of a freeze argue it is essential for preserving what remains of the city’s affordable housing stock. But critics say the real battle may be over process rather than ideology. The Rent Guidelines Board, which is required to base its decisions on annual financial data, will publish new findings this spring showing whether landlord incomes or expenses justify a freeze. Owner groups contend Mamdani is staking out a decision before the legally mandated numbers are even available — a move they claim could open the door to litigation.

Mamdani, for his part, has recently suggested that any freeze should be matched with relief on landlords’ most burdensome costs, including property taxes, water charges, and insurance — all of which owners argue have spiraled beyond reason. Even so, the essential divide remains unchanged: tenants are seeking stability, landlords are fighting for survival, and New York’s new left-wing mayor is signaling that renters will take precedence in the coming era.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump reportedly delivered Nicolás Maduro a blunt ultimatum last week: flee Venezuela at once if you want to survive. According to a Miami Herald account, Trump conveyed the message during a tense private call with the embattled strongman — a conversation that collapsed in minutes after Maduro attempted to negotiate terms the U.S. would not accept.

Sources told the Herald that during their discussion, Maduro insisted he should be allowed to retain command of Venezuela’s armed forces even if he permitted free elections, and he also pushed for sweeping international amnesty for himself and his inner circle. Both requests were quickly dismissed by Trump, who countered with a stark proposal: leave the country now.

The collapse of the talks prompted anxious reactions in Washington, where lawmakers warned that the crisis fueled by Venezuelan-linked narcotics trafficking is already claiming massive American casualties. “We have a war that’s coming through fentanyl, through opioids, through cocaine,” US Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) told “Fox News Sunday,” calling attention to the deadly flow he says is tied to Maduro’s regime. “It killed 100,000 Americans last year,” he added. “That’s twice the number of people that died in eight years of Vietnam — 4,000 Pennsylvanians.”

After the failed call, Trump escalated pressure. He publicly declared Venezuela’s airspace “closed in its entirety” and ordered U.S. naval and Marine forces — including the USS Gerald R. Ford and an amphibious-capable Marine Expeditionary Unit — to maintain a presence offshore. Over the weekend, he cautioned that military operations could begin “very soon.”

Trump confirmed to reporters on Sunday that he had spoken with Maduro, remarking only, “I wouldn’t say it went well or badly.” According to the New York Times, the conversation occurred late in the week of Nov. 16, not long after Trump had signaled a willingness to engage directly with the socialist ruler.

Behind the scenes, U.S. and Venezuelan officials reportedly discussed what a lawful surrender might look like, given that the State Department has posted a $50 million reward for Maduro. Trump told Maduro that he, his wife, and his son could depart without harm — but that the exit needed to be immediate.

A source familiar with the call told the Herald, “First, Maduro asked for global amnesty for any crimes he and his group had committed, and that was rejected.” The source added, “Second, they asked to retain control of the armed forces — similar to what happened in Nicaragua in ’91 with Violeta Chamorro. In return, they would allow free elections.” That, too, was rejected, as the U.S. demanded a prompt resignation. The Herald also noted that amnesty was offered to Maduro’s senior allies if they agreed to step aside.

As diplomacy broke down, Trump vowed to confront Venezuela’s drug-trafficking networks “by land,” further setting the stage for a dangerous escalation. By Saturday, his social media declaration sealing Venezuela’s skies triggered alarm throughout the region. Flight-tracking maps soon reflected the change, with international aircraft avoiding Venezuelan airspace and rerouting flights to Aruba and Curaçao.

Compounding the tensions, major airlines suspended service after the FAA cited “heightened military activity in and around Venezuela.” Caracas retaliated by revoking operating permissions for Iberia, TAP, Avianca, Latam, Colombia, Turkish Airlines, and GOL, deepening the country’s isolation. Maduro and his allies accused Trump of “colonial” aggression and charged that Washington aims to seize Venezuela’s oil reserves through force.

McCormick defended Trump’s posture as a necessary strike against ruthless cartels. “When President Trump was running, he and I both campaigned on the same thing, which was [to] secure the border, designate the cartels as narco-terrorists, and use our military in a strategic-focused way to destroy this cartel infrastructure,” he said. “I think that’s what’s happening with Venezuela.”

The U.S. Secretary of the Navy likewise characterized the struggle as an outright war. “Drugs kill more Americans than we’ve ever lost in wars. So I think at the end of the day, the president has correctly identified this as an attack on the country, which it is,” John Phelan said on “My View with Lara Trump.” The CDC recorded over 105,000 overdose deaths in 2023 — nearly double the American fatalities in Vietnam.

Although the White House has pointed to Venezuelan gangs as key players in narcotics distribution, a 2019 DEA report noted that most fentanyl reaching the U.S. actually originates in Mexico, made with Chinese precursor chemicals. Venezuela was among 23 nations Trump designated in September as “major drug transit or major illicit drug producing countries,” a list that also included China, India, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.

Despite an expanding U.S. military posture in the Caribbean, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) emphasized that Trump has ruled out inserting U.S. troops into Venezuela. “No, he’s made it very clear we’re not going to put troops into Venezuela. What we’re trying to do is protect our own shores,” Mullin said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

For months, the administration has been carrying out aggressive maritime operations targeting alleged narco-vessels from Venezuela and neighboring states. At least 21 lethal strikes have been conducted so far. One mission has drawn particular scrutiny: a bombing near Trinidad in which survivors of a hit drug boat were allegedly killed in a subsequent “double tap” strike — an order attributed to Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth to “kill everybody,” which he denies. The operation has sparked congressional investigations and human rights outrage, with critics calling the killings extrajudicial.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump unleashed a blistering attack on Joe Biden and his top officials on Sunday, using a Truth Social post to charge that the administration’s approach to immigration and asylum has placed Americans in danger.

His comments came in the aftermath of a deadly incident involving two National Guard members—one killed and one critically wounded—in an attack authorities say was carried out by an Afghan national who entered the United States under Biden-era policies. Trump directly tied the tragedy to what he called reckless border management. “Crooked Joe Biden, [Alejandro] Mayorkas, and so-called ‘Border Czar’ Kamala Harris really screwed our Country by letting anyone and everyone come in totally unchecked and unvetted!” Trump posted.

The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, now faces charges for the killing of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom. Officials report that Lakanwal arrived in America as part of Operation Allies Welcome, the massive relocation effort created after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

On Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the program rushed tens of thousands of Afghans into the country before thorough screening could be completed, a problem she attributed to the rapid collapse of the Afghan government. According to Noem, Lakanwal’s case highlights the dangers created by those gaps, insisting he was allowed into the United States with insufficient vetting.

Mayorkas, whom Trump singled out in his post, served as Biden’s Homeland Security secretary throughout all four years of Biden’s term.

{Matzav.com}

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The latest round of U.S.–Ukraine discussions stretched across four hours in Florida, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the session as “very productive,” even as he stressed that the path to ending Russia’s assault on Ukraine still requires considerable effort.

Rubio revealed that Steve Witkoff—President Donald Trump’s envoy for the negotiations—will outline the latest developments directly to Vladimir Putin during a trip to Moscow this week. He emphasized to reporters that the talks involve complicated dynamics: “There are a lot of moving parts, and obviously there’s another party involved here that will have to be a part of the equation, and that will continue later this week, when Mr. Witkoff travels to Moscow, although we’ve also been in touch in varying degrees with the Russian side, but we have a pretty good understanding of their views as well.” Rubio then cautioned, “Much work remains.”

According to Rubio, the discussions are not only focused on achieving a cessation of hostilities but also on shaping a lasting economic recovery for Ukraine. He characterized the American outlook as firmly grounded yet hopeful, noting that peace must come with a viable long-term future. “It’s not just about the terms that ends fighting,” he added. “It’s about also the terms that set up Ukraine for long-term prosperity. I think we build on that today, but there’s more work to be done.”

Representing the United States at this delicate moment were Rubio, Witkoff, and Jared Kushner. Their meeting took place as Ukraine simultaneously contends with Russian pressure on the battlefield and internal turmoil fueled by a corruption scandal. Diplomats on both sides have been targeting revisions to a draft plan developed in previous U.S.–Russia exchanges, a proposal that critics have argued leaned too far toward Moscow.

As the Sunday talks opened at the Shell Bay Club—Witkoff’s upscale development in Hallandale Beach—Rubio sought to reassure Kyiv: “The end goal is, obviously, not just the end of the war,” Rubio said. “But it’s also about securing an end to the war that leaves Ukraine sovereign and independent and with an opportunity at real prosperity.” He reminded the participants that “This is not just about peace deals.”

Ukraine’s national security chief, Rustem Umerov, responded by expressing appreciation for American support—remarks clearly intended for Trump, who has sometimes said Ukraine has not shown enough gratitude. “U.S. is hearing us,” Umerov said. “U.S. is supporting us. U.S. is working beside us.” He repeated Ukraine’s thanks in brief comments to reporters afterward, though he offered no specifics regarding what was accomplished during the meeting. “Our objective is a prosperous, strong Ukraine,” Umerov said. “We discussed all the important matters that are important for Ukraine, for Ukrainian people, and U.S. was super supportive.”

Rubio added that U.S. goals extend beyond halting the war. “We also want to help Ukraine be safe forever, so never again will they face another invasion. And equally importantly, we want them to enter an age of true prosperity,” he said, describing a future in which Ukraine is rebuilt stronger than before.

The shake-up in Kyiv’s negotiating team added another layer to the talks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the resignation of his powerful chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, whose home was searched by anti-corruption authorities investigating a sprawling kickback scheme that siphoned $100 million from the energy sector. Yermak had been Ukraine’s lead negotiator, meeting with Rubio in Geneva just a week earlier.

Ukraine’s delegation in Florida included top military commander Andrii Hnatov and presidential adviser Oleksandr Bevz, who joined Umerov in attempting to advance a reworked peace proposal. The initial framework—which Trump has more recently downplayed as merely a “concept” or “map” in need of being “fine-tuned”—had envisioned restricting Ukraine’s military, barring NATO entry, and mandating elections within 100 days. It also originally called for surrendering the Donbas region entirely to Russia, something Ukraine has rejected. Negotiators say changes have been made, but details remain scarce.

Trump said Tuesday that Witkoff—and possibly Kushner as well—would travel to Moscow in the coming days for another round of talks with Putin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Russian state TV that Putin will host Witkoff before departing for India on Thursday. Witkoff and Kushner, both seasoned dealmakers from the real estate world, previously helped craft a 20-point proposal that produced a ceasefire in Gaza.

Zelenskyy posted on X that his delegation intended to “swiftly and substantively work out the steps needed to end the war.” In his Saturday night address, he praised the American team, saying the U.S. side was “demonstrating a constructive approach.” He added: “In the coming days it is feasible to flesh out the steps to determine how to bring the war to a dignified end.”

Events on the ground underscored the urgency. Missile and drone strikes around Kyiv on Saturday killed at least three people and wounded many more, according to Ukrainian officials. Additional overnight attacks into Sunday left one dead and 19 injured—including children—after a drone slammed into a nine-story apartment building in Vyshhorod. Zelenskyy later reported on Telegram that Russia launched 122 strike drones and ballistic missiles. “Such attacks occur daily. This week alone, Russians have used nearly 1,400 strike drones, 1,100 guided aerial bombs and 66 missiles against our people. That is why we must strengthen Ukraine’s resilience every day. Missiles and air defense systems are necessary, and we must also actively work with our partners for peace,” Zelenskyy said. “We need real, reliable solutions that will help end the war,” he added.

Another flashpoint emerged after Ukraine claimed responsibility for striking a major oil terminal at Novorossiysk, operated by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium. Kazakhstan criticized the attack, warning Kyiv that such actions jeopardize bilateral relations. “We view what has occurred as an action harming the bilateral relations of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Ukraine, and we expect the Ukrainian side to take effective measures to prevent similar incidents in the future,” Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said.

The Florida meeting ended without public disclosure of specific breakthroughs, but both sides suggested the pieces are beginning to shift—just as the U.S. envoy prepares to sit down with Putin in Moscow.

{Matzav.com}

A new NBC News survey reveals a sharp deterioration in the public’s confidence in the value of a bachelor’s degree, with a solid majority now saying the investment simply doesn’t add up. The latest findings show that more than 6 in 10 registered voters believe a four-year college education is no longer worth what students are expected to pay.

Only 33% of respondents still view a degree as a sound investment — a staggering 20-point collapse since June 2013. In that same time span, the proportion who say a college degree has lost its value has soared to 63%, a rise of 23 points over twelve years.

The downward trend spans nearly every demographic category, according to the poll, signaling a broad rethinking of the role — and price — of higher education. What was once a bipartisan belief has fractured dramatically.

Republican voters, once more favorable toward college, have seen the most dramatic reversal. Ten years ago, 55% of Republicans said a four-year degree was worthwhile, compared to 38% who said it wasn’t. Today, that sentiment has flipped entirely: only 22% see the degree as worthwhile, while 74% now say it is not.

Across the full sample, most respondents agreed with the statement that college is “not worth the cost because people often graduate without specific job skills and with a large amount of debt to pay off,” as the survey phrased it.

One of the clearest drivers of this shift is the relentless rise in tuition. When adjusted for inflation, College Board data shows that in-state tuition at public universities has doubled since 1995, and private college tuition has climbed 75% in that same period, NBC News reported.

Economist Preston Cooper of the American Enterprise Institute attributed the skepticism to outcomes that simply don’t justify the cost for many students. “Some people drop out, or sometimes people end up with a degree that is not worth a whole lot in the labor market, and sometimes people pay way too much for a degree relative to the value of what that credential is,” he told NBC News. He added, “These cases have created enough exceptions to the rule that a bachelor’s degree always pays off, so that people are now more skeptical.”

NBC News polled 1,000 registered voters between Oct. 24 and 28. The margin of error is +/– 3.1 percentage points.

{Matzav.com}

Naftali Bennett declared that he would back a pardon for Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, provided it comes as part of a deal removing Netanyahu from the political arena. His announcement appeared on X, where he cast Israel’s current climate as dangerously unstable.

Bennett argued that the country has been pushed to the edge by deep internal fractures. “In recent years, the State of Israel has been led into chaos and to the brink of a civil war that threatens the very existence of the state,” he writes on X. He framed Netanyahu stepping aside as the key to national reset, insisting that Israelis must end the ongoing legal and political battles.

He laid out his proposal plainly. “In order to rescue Israel from the chaos, I will support a binding arrangement that includes a respectful retirement from political life alongside the end of the trial,” he says. “That way, we can let it go, unite, and rebuild the state together.” Bennett portrayed such an agreement as both a practical and moral way to move the country forward.

The context behind Bennett’s stance is rooted in recent political history. He and Yair Lapid headed the short-lived coalition that removed Netanyahu from office for a year and a half beginning in 2021, only for Netanyahu to return after his bloc prevailed in the 2022 vote. Surveys since then have routinely suggested that a new slate led by Bennett could outperform Netanyahu in the next contest, which must take place by next October.

{Matzav.com}

In a wide-ranging conversation with Channel 12, attorney Micha Fettman — who once served on Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s defense team — laid out why President Isaac Herzog is legally barred from granting Netanyahu a pardon unless the prime minister does something he has repeatedly refused to do: admit guilt. As Fettman put it plainly, “A pardon is given to an offender – that’s what the law stipulates.”

Fettman pointed to the 1984 Bus 300 case as the closest historical comparison, noting that it involved one of the only pre-trial pardons in Israeli legal history. But even that exceptional episode, he stressed, required full acknowledgment of responsibility. The Shin Bet agents involved had conceded what they had done before receiving clemency from then-president Chaim Herzog.

That affair centered on two Palestinian terrorists who attempted to hijack an intercity bus carrying dozens of Israelis. After the hijacking was foiled, agents captured the terrorists alive, executed them in custody, and subsequently lied about the incident. When the truth emerged, it triggered a national scandal, senior resignations, and a criminal investigation — ultimately ending with presidential pardons before the trial even began.

Fettman underscored that even in that extraordinary situation, the High Court was emphatic that admitting guilt was a non-negotiable condition. He added that “there’s no way on earth” the attorney general or state prosecution would advise President Herzog to pardon Netanyahu without the same requirement.

He noted that on the rare occasions when presidents issued pardons contrary to the Justice Ministry’s position, it was always for severely ill private citizens — never for a sitting prime minister facing corruption charges.

His remarks surfaced just as Netanyahu submitted a massive 111-page pardon request to the president, accompanied by a personal letter arguing that clemency would enable him to focus exclusively on leading Israel “in these critical times” and “would help mend rifts between different sectors of the public.” Netanyahu did not acknowledge guilt, offer remorse, or retreat from his longstanding claim that the prosecution against him is fundamentally flawed.

Fettman, who stepped down from Netanyahu’s legal defense team five years ago, suggested that by framing the request as one made “for the good of the country,” Netanyahu may have inadvertently opened the door for Herzog to conclude that the national interest could require conditions — including the possibility of Netanyahu stepping down from public life.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu publicly reiterated that he would not consider seeking a pardon if it required admitting guilt.

Netanyahu currently faces charges across three separate cases, including one count of bribery and three counts each of fraud and breach of trust. His trial, which began in 2020, remains far from conclusion, and he continues to adamantly deny every allegation against him.

{Matzav.com}

A bruising online fight erupted on X over the past 24 hours after Elizabeth Tsurkov sharply condemned Channel 12’s description of an incident in the southern Gaza Strip. Her post triggered an immediate and fiery response from political commentator Amit Segal, setting off a back-and-forth that quickly drew widespread attention.

The televised report at the center of the blowup stated: “The Air Force this morning eliminated two suspects in the southern Gaza Strip who crossed the yellow line, conducted suspicious activities on the ground, and approached troops.” Within minutes of its broadcast, Arab outlets asserted that the individuals killed were actually children, reported to be 10 and 12 years old.

Tsurkov — who endured abduction by the Kta’ib Hezbollah terror group in Baghdad in March 2023 and was freed in September 2025 — shared an English rendering of the Channel 12 phrasing and commented: “How Israeli Ch 12 reported on the killing of 10 and 12-year-old boys in Khan Younis today. Ch 12 is the most watched channel in Israel and represents the mainstream.”

Segal blasted her critique with a biting attack that immediately escalated the dispute. He wrote: “What an extraordinary country Israel is, that it makes an effort to redeem from captivity even its greatest slanderers – captivity that has nothing to do with it and did not happen through any fault of its own. Even scum like Tsurkov don’t deserve to rot in terrorist captivity.”

Tsurkov insisted that her post was straightforward and that Segal’s outrage was misplaced. She fired back: “If you consider an English translation of a Channel 12 headline as ‘slandering’ the country, maybe it’s worth changing the coverage so it fits journalistic standards. And the State of Israel indeed worked for my release, and I thank those involved that they didn’t listen to your public calls while I was still in captivity, not to.”

Segal responded with renewed force, doubling down on his accusation that she routinely maligns the state. He declared: “You are an obsessive person, and you hate our country. Instead of sitting silently and introspecting on the high price your stupid adventures cost the country over the years, you still dare to spit into the well with a handful of English tweets.”

Tsurkov rejected the characterization and defended her right to critique government policy without being labeled an enemy of the state. She replied: “I don’t hate the country. I criticize its policies in many areas and express my appreciation for those in others. If you want to live under a rule where it’s forbidden to express criticism, move to Gaza.”

Segal then issued his final volley, accusing her of employing rhetoric that echoes hostile foreign narratives. His closing shot read: “You don’t hate the country, you’re just in a years-long ‘Tourette’s episode’ of slandering the country using the cheapest means of enemy propaganda, including the systematic belittling of October 7th, and the systematic magnification of the results of IDF activity. I will not go to Gaza because, unlike you, I do not tend to place responsibility for my actions on the state. But you are welcome to do so.”

{Matzav.com}

A planned launch of reconstruction work in Rafah has been indefinitely pushed off after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich refused to sign off on the necessary budget, according to a report from i24NEWS that quoted a security official.

The rebuilding effort was originally slated to get underway on Sunday, November 30. With the finance minister declining approval, however, officials have now frozen the initiative until a new decision is reached. Those familiar with Smotrich’s position confirmed the move and sharply articulated his reasoning, stating, “Israeli citizens will not pay out of pocket for the reconstruction of Gaza. There is a limit to every trick.”

While budgetary disagreement is one explanation for the holdup, another security source offered a completely different assessment. According to that official, work cannot begin because armed operatives are still hiding in Rafah, creating conditions too dangerous for crews to enter the area.

In the meantime, even the initial step of clearing out the rubble has yet to begin.

The reconstruction phase is intended to roll out only during the second stage of the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas. Yet progress toward that stage is stalled, as two deceased hostages are still being held by the terror groups in Gaza—an unresolved issue that continues to prolong the conclusion of the ceasefire’s first phase.

{Matzav.com}

A routine family outing turned extraordinary after a young gamer unexpectedly uncovered a concealed stockpile of weapons not far from the Dimona nuclear facility. The revelation has prompted a full-scale investigation by Israeli security authorities.

The discovery occurred when a teenager, absorbed in completing a mission on the Pokémon Go app, wandered up a cliffside in the Mamshit National Park area. While following the game’s prompts, the teen came across a stash that stunned both his family and, later, law enforcement.

According to i24NEWS, the cache held a troubling assortment of military-grade equipment: three M16 rifles outfitted and ready for action, along with multiple magazines for both rifles and handguns, as well as a military vest and coat. The manner in which the weapons were concealed suggested they were positioned for quick access and immediate operational deployment—despite being only a few hundred meters from one of Israel’s most sensitive sites.

Initial assessments by police point toward criminal involvement. Investigators believe the arsenal was stolen from an IDF base and was likely connected to a Bedouin crime network, though the inquiry remains ongoing.

The moment the teen realized what he had found, his family contacted security forces without delay. Responding units secured the area, collected the weapons, and began a deeper probe into who placed them there—and for what purpose.

{Matzav.com}

In a message at the conclusion of his weekly shiur, Rav Moshe Shternbuch urged the avreichim of his Teshuvos V’Hanhagos kollel to recognize the immense joy inherent in Torah learning, declaring that “every halacha deserves its own seudah.”

At the end of this week’s session, the posek marked the completion of a lengthy sugya with a small l’chaim, celebrating months of intense study undertaken by the kollel. Rav Shternbuch has been guiding his students through the sugya of mechitzos for nearly three months, delivering dozens of in-depth shiurim on the topic.

Following the final shiur , he addressed the kollel members and emphasized the true magnitude of their accomplishment. The joy of completing each segment of Torah, he said, is so profound that “it would be fitting to hold a full seudah and celebration for every single halacha on its own.”

{Matzav.com}

At a Motzoei Shabbos dinner held in Boro Park in support of Satmar institutions, the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Aharon Teitelbaum, offered candid impressions from his recent visit to Israel and expressed deep concern over the state of many American bochurim learning there.

The Rebbe addressed what he described as a troubling spiritual decline among American boys who travel to learn in Eretz Yisroel. Rather than gaining from the experience, he warned, many are losing ground.

The Rebbe recounted what he witnessed firsthand: “When I was in Yerushalayim, I would sometimes be out at 9:00 in the morning, sometimes at 10 or 11 or even later. I saw them in Yerushalayim—with a hat, without a hat, with wet peyos—wandering here and wandering there, not knowing what to do. I saw the hefkeirus of the American bochurim who are walking around in Yerushalayim. They aren’t going up. They’re going down,” he said.

He then turned directly to parents who currently have sons learning in Israel. “I want to tell the people here who have boys in Eretz Yisroel that their children are roaming the streets of Eretz Yisroel,” he cautioned.

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Pope Leo XIV’s arrival in Beirut on Sunday set the tone for a visit the Vatican is portraying as crucial for a nation weighed down by crisis. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received him at Rafic Hariri International Airport, where crowds came out to greet the pontiff and listen for signals about how he intends to engage with the region’s most urgent challenges.

Before even touching down in Lebanon, the pope outlined his regional outlook while speaking to reporters aboard his flight from Turkey. There, he reiterated that “the only solution… must include a Palestinian state.” He acknowledged the current geopolitical reality, saying, “We all know that at this time Israel still does not accept that solution, but we see it as the only solution.” He added that the Vatican hopes to serve as a bridge, explaining, “We are also friends with Israel, and we are seeking to be a mediating voice between the two parties that might help them close in on a solution with justice for everyone.” He also noted that his discussions with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan focused heavily on conflicts roiling the region and on Ankara’s potential influence in efforts toward peace.

Upon landing in Beirut, the pope immediately turned to the Lebanese public with a message meant to uplift a society worn down by economic strain and uncertainty. He urged them to remain “peacemakers,” and praised Lebanon as a place still capable of renewal and coexistence. His sentiments aligned with the Vatican’s longstanding belief that Lebanon stands as a unique crossroads of civilizations and faiths.

Later in the day, the pope spoke before Lebanon’s political and religious leadership, offering an extended meditation on the meaning of peace in a fractured environment. He referred to the Lebanese people as those who “do not give up,” and called on officials to elevate peace above every competing priority. Their history of resilience, he said, must continue to define them as they navigate a path forward.

Emphasizing that recovery requires a spirit of optimism, the pope encouraged the country’s leaders to speak “the language of hope,” reminding them that Lebanon’s strength has always rested on bonds of perseverance, mutual affection, and the willingness to rebuild. He warned that no society can move toward real harmony without honest efforts at reconciliation, stressing that healing—whether personal or national—depends on confronting one’s past with sincerity. Peace, he said, means “knowing how to live together, in communion,” and requires institutions committed to the common good rather than narrow interests.

The pope also highlighted the pressing need to stem the outflow of Lebanon’s youth, urging steps to ensure that those who wish to remain in their homeland can do so securely and with dignity. He noted that women, in particular, serve as pivotal builders of peace, reinforcing the social fabric and guiding communities toward renewal.

Drawing from Lebanon’s rich cultural tradition, he concluded with a poetic reflection on the country’s deep connection to music, describing peace as a harmony shaped by divine love. He expressed hope that this spiritual melody would continue to define how the Lebanese live together in a land “that God deeply loves and continues to bless.”

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In a wide-ranging interview, MK Yair Golan, who leads the Democrats party, unleashed fierce criticism at the chareidi factions, arguing that their political flexibility comes at the expense of the country’s wellbeing. Although he insisted, “as long as they get their pound of flesh, they’re willing to sit in any government,” Golan simultaneously claimed he might align with those same parties if a future political reality forced such cooperation.

Golan described what he views as the ideal governing structure, maintaining that, “What’s good for Israel is a coalition ranging from [Naftali] Bennett to Mansour Abbas of Ra’am… led from within by the liberal-democratic camp — not the Right.” According to him, meaningful leadership must move away from narrow ideological blocs and toward what he calls a broad, values-based alignment.

He dismissed the traditional left-center-right political map, arguing instead that the true divide in Israel rests between two clashing worldviews. “Clinging to the outdated left-right-center paradigm is wrong and locks us into obsolete frameworks. The real story in Israel today is the corrupt and authoritarian camp versus the liberal-democratic camp,” he asserted.

While he categorically rejected entering any coalition that includes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Itamar Ben Gvir, or Bezalel Smotrich, he noted that he would not automatically rule out working with chareidi parties if the numbers demanded it. In his words, “We all understand that we need each other. We don’t want any of the current coalition parties. They are destructive: a corrupt Likud, the extreme nationalists Ben Gvir and Smotrich, and the charedim who are destroying the country.”

Golan also turned his attention to centrist figures — Yair Lapid, Benny Gantz, and Gadi Eisenkot — urging them to rally behind what he calls a unified ideological alternative. He appealed to them to help form “a strong, large liberal-democratic camp that will provide a real governing alternative.”

When discussing Naftali Bennett’s record, Golan issued one of his harshest attacks. He expressed disbelief that anyone would treat Bennett as a partner after his role in shifting national direction. “Bennett brought the Kohelet Forum into our lives, attacked the Supreme Court, and introduced religious content into education. What are we talking about? Have you lost your minds?”

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At a Motzoei Shabbos gathering marking the completion of Seder Moed by the Oraysa learning program, Rav Yitzchak Yosef delivered an emotional and forceful address about the draft crisis and the recent arrests of yeshiva students by military police. Speaking with visible pain, he declared that “almost all” of those being detained are Sephardi bochurim and urged the community to strengthen Torah study as a means to overturn the harsh decrees.

Opening his remarks, Rav Yosef asked, “The detainees? Almost all of them are Sephardim, unfortunately. We need many merits so that Hashem will cancel all these decrees upon us — the legal advisers, the judges… may He nullify their counsel and disrupt their plans.”

Rav Yosef stressed that the most powerful response to the crisis is an increase in Torah learning. “These merits must come through Torah study,” he said. “When a person learns Torah, Hashem will help ensure that all of these decrees will be canceled as if they never existed.”

He concluded with a brocha that the yeshiva world continue to grow despite the pressure and upheaval. “May we all merit to expand our borders with more students, and may all the rabbanim and roshei yeshiva see true nachas from their talmidim, who are like their own children,” Rav Yosef said.

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Israel is bracing for a political showdown over the new draft law, as Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has instructed the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee—led by MK Boaz Bismuth—to begin a marathon of deliberations this week on the proposal that would formally define the status of yeshiva students and shape the future of military conscription.

The coalition’s goal is ambitious: to pass the bill through its second and third readings in the Knesset plenum within just six weeks. To reach that target, the coming days will feature three separate committee sessions aimed at finalizing the legislation.

But even within the coalition, cracks are emerging. Senior coalition members—including Yuli Edelstein and Sharren Haskel—have already begun quietly rallying internal opposition that could block the bill from securing a majority when it reaches the floor.

In response, senior figures in the charedi parties have turned to an unusual strategy: engaging in discreet conversations with Arab party leaders, hoping they will simply skip the vote and effectively lower the threshold for the law’s passage. Thus far, however, Arab factions have rejected the idea, making clear that their top priority is bringing down the Netanyahu government rather than helping it pass critical legislation.

MK Boaz Bismuth announced last night that the committee has already made substantial revisions to the legislation. “I worked over the past weeks on the draft of the enlistment law in full cooperation with the legal advisers of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee under my leadership. I made several changes in order to fully meet legal requirements and prevent any future legal risk,” he said.

He defended the bill as balanced and pragmatic. “This is a responsible law that creates equilibrium between the needs of the IDF and the preservation of the Torah world, and restores stability to the State of Israel.” Bismuth added confidently, “The train has already left the station, and it will not stop until the law is approved in the Knesset plenum!”

The controversy has also triggered objections from unexpected quarters. Tzachi Hanegbi, the former National Security Council chief who was recently dismissed, sharply condemned the current version of the bill. “The burden still falls on the shoulders of relatively few. The IDF needs thousands more combat soldiers, certainly in light of the most recent war and its consequences. The proposed law, as published, does not advance this goal, it legitimizes draft-dodging and endangers the state’s future,” he said.

Hanegbi emphasized that supporting Torah study does not contradict national defense. “The Torah has preserved Israel throughout the generations, and Torah learning is precious to the Jewish people. It must be combined with the value of defending the state and its citizens,” he said.

He concluded by warning that the government cannot afford to delay. “Many years in the Cabinet, in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and in the National Security Council taught me that the IDF knows how to integrate these two values successfully. Now the government and the Knesset must ensure this without any further postponements.”

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A deeply emotional scene unfolded last week in Beitar Illit during the wedding of a granddaughter of the Rebbe of Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok. The event took an unexpected and stirring turn when the Rebbe addressed the crowd and spoke candidly about his declining health.

The kallah is a daughter of Rav Yisroel Kahn, rov of the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok kehillah in Boro Park, and a granddaughter of Rav Dovid Schwimmer, a senior dayan in the Vizhnitzer kehillah of Beit Shemesh.

The chosson is a son of Rav Naftali Stein and a grandson of Rav Dovid Shlomo Stein, dayan of the Faltishaner kehillah in Williamsburg. He is also a grandson-in-law of the Karlsburger Rebbe of Williamsburg.

In the midst of the celebration, the atmosphere shifted when the Rebbe rose to speak. His voice was weak but full of emotion as he reflected on his health challenges and shared a message that deeply touched the crowd. “We must make use of the time we are still here together in this world. I am very weak now because of the illness in my legs and I have no strength. I ask the public to thank Hashem on my behalf,” the Rebbe said.