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The Reform Movement’s Legal Campaign Against Religious Life in Eretz Yisroel

By: Dovid Gold

Over the past decade or so, a wave of lawsuits targeting the lifestyle of the religious communities in Eretz Yisroel has been brought before the powerful and left-leaning Israeli Supreme Court. While not all of these cases have succeeded, they’ve complicated life for hundreds of thousands of religious people. Moreover, these petitions have deepened the divisions among Israeli society. But who is spending time and money to bring these cases? And why do they care how the frum community chooses to live? 

A close look into each of these cases reveals a fascinating pattern. The fingerprints of the Jewish American woke left, organized into the Reform movement, are present each time. Desperate for relevance, Reform leaders in America have merged their anti-our Torah ideology with the woke left agenda, launching a systematic campaign against the Torah communities of Eretz Yisroel. In doing so, they have created a cause célèbre to rally their dwindling membership. 

While the Israeli court system leans strongly to the left and is widely viewed as unkind to religion, by law, courts do not initiate actions against Israeli citizens. Courts intervene only when a petition is filed before them. Successfully bringing a case before the Supreme Court requires expert legal representation and significant financial resources. Litigation is expensive, and many cases drag on for years, racking up large legal fees. Without the backing of a well-funded institution, these petitions or lawsuits hardly stand a chance of gaining any traction. For these reasons, the status quo understanding between the state and the religious communities in Israel has mostly held. Only in more recent years have so many rulings been handed down by the courts targeting religious practices. 

This new reality is due to the emergence of a new force on the Israeli scene: The Reform Center for Religion and State. This legal arm of the Reform movement in Israel has taken the lead in each of these petitions and the lawyers they retain have fought these battles. 

The Reform Center was established approximately 35 years ago. Officially, it was founded to advocate for the rights of Reform communities and promote the recognition of pluralistic and Reform values. However, in practice, the Center has led campaigns against virtually every area in which the Torah communities of Israel operate.

Key Legal Battles 

Since the advent of cell phones, the Charedi public in Eretz Yisroel has embraced the use of kosher-filtered cell phones, which safeguard the purity and wholesomeness of their chosen way of life. But in 2016, a lawsuit claimed these phones don’t allow access to hotlines for people with alternative lifestyles. This sparked a years-long legal saga to protect what the Charedi community views as a basic right. While this case continues to work through the legal system, the courts have already ordered the Knesset to pass laws that satisfy these pluralistic goals. 

A review of the official court documents shows that the petition was jointly brought by organizations advocating for those who practice alternative lifestyles along with the Reform Center and the Movement for Progressive Judaism, another Reform arm. And that all the petitioners were represented by lawyers who are members of the Center’s legal staff. It is obvious that the Reform movement has no direct stake in the type of cell phones used by the frum community, nevertheless, they exploited this issue to advance their broader agenda of gaining relevance by generating coverage in Israel’s media outlets sympathetic to their cause. 

Thousands of working parents in Eretz Yisroel rely on government-subsidized childcare during work hours. For decades, based on the understanding that an avreich has the legal status of a “studying spouse,” families where the husband learns in kollel and the wife works have also benefited from these subsidies. To strip kollel families of this badly needed assistance, a petition was filed arguing that full-time Torah study does not meet legitimate standards of “studying”.

Court documents again reveal that the Reform Center for Religion and State led this petition, along with five other leftist organizations, and that the Center’s legal team represented all petitioners. Ultimately, this baseless petition was dismissed because the subsidies are intended to encourage female participation in the workforce, regardless of their spouse’s employment status. 

It’s hard to believe the petitioners truly opposed subsidies for working women, a cause they often champion. Instead, it appears that it was all about delegitimizing the kollel system by painting them as unfairly benefiting from government funds. 

Another staple of organized life in Eretz Yisroel targeted by legal petition is the Mehadrin bus lines, which maintain separation between men and women per the community’s societal norms. In yet another case arguing that this longstanding practice violates laws of equality, the Reform Center and its lawyers are listed as petitioners. This time, the courts ruled in favor of the petitioners, forcing an end to Mehadrin seating arrangements. The result? A massive disruption for thousands of frum commuters, whose cultural norms were ironically disregarded under the guise of “equality.”

Also targeted by the Reform Center and its lawyers is the curriculum being taught in the vast network of chadorim serving the Torah communities. Since Tanach is part of the core curriculum taught in every school in Israel, a case has been brought to block the legitimacy of chadorim who refuse to teach Tanach in the politically correct manner acceptable to the woke left in Israel. While this is an obvious non-starter for frum schools, this litigation resulted in a disparity in funding for the religious sector in Israel and became yet another talking point with which to disparage communities committed to following authentic Jewish traditions.  

The Effect on Israeli Society

Besides these high-profile cases, many other petitions were brought in at all levels of the Israeli court system but were thwarted along the legal maze. Nevertheless, the mere threat of judicial intervention is enough to make the politicians sympathetic to traditional Jewish values think twice before crafting any new legislation. This dynamic is true at every level of government, from the Knesset, where laws are passed that apply to every citizen of the country, to local municipalities, which are responsible for scores of regulations that affect everyday life. Moreover, these petitions worsen the longstanding tension between the government and the courts. This rift recently boiled over in the well-known judicial reform drama that caused upheaval across Israel. 

Media coverage of these lawsuits confuses the question of who truly represents Judaism. Since the founding of the State, only Orthodox Judaism has been recognized as authentic Judaism. This aligns with the perspective of the overwhelming majority of Israelis who identify with religious traditions. In fact, until a relatively short time ago, there was no official Reform presence in Israel. 

However, the Reform movement has recently fought to change this perception and be recognized as representatives of the Jewish faith. A notable example of this push is evident from yet another petition filed by both the Reform and Conservative movements against the popular religious media outlet, Channel 14. The petitioners argued that Reform and Conservative clergypeople should be given equal time to present their views whenever a religion-related issue is discussed on air. 

As a result, Reform has made significant inroads in establishing itself in many parts of Israel’s national character. Given that the non-orthodox streams of Judaism have become largely irrelevant in the United States, establishing a foothold in Israel has become a priority for them. This affects every aspect of religious life in Israel, including marriage and conversion, and even the management of holy sites such as the Kosel. These changes threaten to reshape the very identity of the Jewish people as these pluralistic versions of Judaism gain legal and cultural influence.  

Countering Them

The Reform movement’s decades-long involvement in the World Zionist Congress directly funds these legal petitions. Through its advocacy efforts in the Congress, the Reform movement has successfully managed to advocate for the direct funding of diverse streams of Judaism. Tens of millions of Shekels are allocated each year to fund the growth of the Reform movement in Israel, with official Reform organizations in Israel proudly listing the National Institutions as sponsors on their respective websites. 

A noteworthy portion of this money is funneled to the Reform Center for Religion and State under the guise of furthering Reform interests. However, as demonstrated by its legal history, the Center is largely used to fight legal battles against established religious communities and to arouse animosity toward the religious sector.

 In the 2020 Congress elections, the Reform and Conservative parties collectively received approximately 45,000 votes out of the 120,000 votes cast by American Jews. The Reform movement has intensified its efforts to gain even more votes in the upcoming elections in March 2025. To counter their influence, American Jews who support traditional Torah values must participate in these elections and vote for delegates who will oppose the Reform movement’s attempts to reshape Israeli society.

The outcome of these elections will determine who controls billions of dollars and who shapes the future of religious life in Israel. By voting for delegates with our true Torah values, American Jews can help ensure that Eretz Yisroel remains a place where authentic Judaism thrives.

VOTE HERE!

Voting ends this Sunday night.

Make your voice heard and count!
EretzHaKodesh.org

The IDF announced that approximately 400 chareidim have been drafted into the military this week. The new recruits include 196 combat soldiers and 167 soldiers assigned to combat support roles. Another 23 are still awaiting placement. Among the combat troops, 105 have joined the Netzach Yehuda Battalion of the Kfir Brigade—an IDF unit composed of religious soldiers. Others have been assigned to the Chashmonean Brigade (48), the Tomer Company in Givati’s Rotem Battalion (19), the Hetz Company in the Paratroopers’ 202nd Battalion (20), and four to the ground defense unit at Nevatim Airbase. In addition to the newly drafted soldiers, 26 older charedi men joined the reserves after completing the Shlav Bet (“Stage B”) track—an expedited training process for older recruits. These men, together with 100 others, are set to begin six months of intensive combat training next week before being deployed to the Chashmonean Brigade’s reserve unit. The IDF said that it “will continue to work to expand the recruitment of the charedi community, while maintaining their religious lifestyle throughout their service and adjusting the conditions of the service to their needs.” As part of its broader integration campaign, the military has been issuing a total of 24,000 draft orders to eligible charedi men—an initiative that began last summer. According to military data, some 70,000 charedi males are currently eligible for service. In a departure from past policy, the IDF has also begun sending initial draft notices to all Israeli citizens upon turning 16.5, including charedim, who were previously excluded from early-stage conscription procedures. Actual enlistment begins at age 18. Despite growing recruitment efforts, the IDF says it can only absorb an additional 3,000 charedi soldiers this year, due to the need for tailored accommodations. This figure would supplement the roughly 1,800 charedi soldiers who already enlist annually. Military officials say that the IDF currently faces a shortage of 10,000 new soldiers—70 percent of whom are required for combat positions. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

President Trump has enacted a long-anticipated initiative that ties future American military support for Ukraine to a new bilateral investment arrangement based on Ukraine’s natural resources — effectively shifting the financial burden away from U.S. taxpayers.

After prolonged discussions, Washington and Kyiv finalized the agreement on Wednesday. The deal sets up a jointly managed investment fund backed in part by revenue from Ukraine’s sale of oil, gas, and mineral rights licenses. Both nations will share the profits equally.

Instead of contributing cash, the United States can apply the dollar value of any military hardware, advanced systems, or tactical training it provides to Ukraine as a credit toward its share of the investment, as laid out in the agreement.

“If, after the effective date, the Government of the United States of America delivers new military assistance to the Government of Ukraine in any form — including the donation of weapons systems, ammunition, technology or training — the capital contribution of the U.S. Partner will be deemed to be increased by the assessed value of such military assistance,” the mineral deal said.

The new structure does not interfere with the remaining military aid previously approved by Congress under Joe Biden, which is expected to run out in the coming weeks. It also does not compel the United States to sell any specific defense systems to Ukraine.

At this stage, the exact financial commitments from both sides remain unresolved. Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko explained that logistical negotiations are still underway.

When those negotiations conclude, a secondary agreement — outlining the detailed framework for how the initiative will be executed — will be submitted to Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, for official approval. Hanna Shelest, a senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, said that this ratification could take about a month.

“What I heard from a few diplomats in Ukraine is that the US wanted us to sign it immediately,” Shelest said, “so I understand that a draft is available, but [the] Ukrainian side said that we cannot sign it without ratification.”

There is cautious optimism among Ukrainian leaders that this agreement could change President Trump’s current policy of denying sales of key missile defense systems, even as Ukraine continues to face intense attacks from Russian drones and missile barrages.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed last month that he requested permission to purchase up to 10 Patriot missile batteries — a U.S.-exclusive defense system — for $15 billion, but that President Trump declined the proposal.

Some Ukrainian insiders believe the deal reflects a growing realization that Trump views international aid as a business transaction.

“The Ukrainians’ mistake was thinking that Trump wanted this so badly that they could leverage it,” one source familiar with Kyiv’s internal negotiations told The Post, adding that the deal was temporarily stalled after a heated Oval Office exchange on February 28 involving Trump, Zelensky, and Vice President JD Vance.

Lieutenant Denis Yaroslavsky, who leads a Ukrainian special reconnaissance unit, told The Post that Ukraine must align with Trump’s worldview, which he described as largely unaffected by moral appeals.

“Only pragmatic economic proposals matter,” Yaroslavsky said. “… Today, Ukraine has a small but real chance to leverage this approach to achieve a swift cease-fire.

“This is the first step, hopefully it will entail a merger in the great alliance of our countries.”

Observers note that although the agreement does not obligate the U.S. to supply more weapons, the clause permitting further contributions sends a strategic message to Moscow that American support remains an option.

Russia appeared to take note. On Thursday, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev lashed out at Trump, ridiculing the arrangement and mocking Ukraine’s future viability.

“Trump has finally pressured the Kyiv regime to pay for US aid with mineral resources,” he posted to Telegram. “Now, the country that is about to disappear will have to use its national wealth to pay for military supplies.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump’s nuclear negotiations with Iran bear striking resemblance to the very deal he famously tore up in 2018, Reuters reports. The rapid commencement of talks last month has stunned regional allies, most notably Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had arrived in Washington expecting a green light for military action against Iran — only to learn hours before a joint appearance that the U.S. was heading back to the negotiating table. Since then, three rounds of high-level U.S.–Iranian talks have taken place with a fourth expected soon in Rome. According to eight sources familiar with the discussions who spoke with Reuters, the framework being developed largely preserves the architecture of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Trump repeatedly branded “the worst deal ever made” during his first term. But this time, the agreement is being tweaked for political palatability. Officials say it would extend the timeline of constraints to 25 years, tighten verification mechanisms, and stretch the so-called sunset clauses. Still, the core remains unmistakably similar: Iran agrees to limit uranium enrichment, reduce centrifuge counts, and allow increased international inspections in exchange for sweeping sanctions relief. For Netanyahu, this represents a stunning reversal and a strategic setback. His government has demanded “zero enrichment,” aiming for a Libya-style dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. But Iranian officials insist their right to enrich uranium is non-negotiable — though they are reportedly willing to cap enrichment at 3.67%, as under the JCPOA, and ship portions of their uranium abroad or dilute their stockpiles under IAEA scrutiny. “This is essentially JCPOA 2.0,” said one senior official, “with just enough window dressing for Trump to call it a win, and just enough flexibility for Tehran to maintain core capabilities.” Underscoring the strange symmetry of these developments, Trump is now seeking concessions that go further than what his first-term deal exit demanded, yet is also prepared to accept many of the same limitations the original accord imposed. Former U.S. negotiator Dennis Ross warned that without dismantling Iran’s infrastructure — including cutting centrifuges to a mere 1,000 and shipping out all enriched uranium — “the threshold threat remains.” The irony, he noted, is that Trump’s 2018 withdrawal has left the U.S. facing a much more advanced Iranian program, with the Islamic Republic enriching uranium at 60% and operating banned advanced centrifuges. Some U.S. officials are pressing to incorporate Iran’s ballistic missile production into the deal — a demand consistently rejected by Tehran. Iranian sources said they are only willing to forgo missile designs capable of carrying nuclear warheads as a “gesture of goodwill,” echoing the constraints of the original JCPOA. Adding complexity to the talks are Iranian demands for ironclad guarantees: that no future U.S. president — including Trump himself — could abandon the deal unilaterally again. Whether such guarantees are legally or politically feasible remains in question. Meanwhile, Israeli calculations are shifting rapidly. With Hezbollah’s capabilities reportedly degraded and Iran’s air defenses weakened by recent conflicts, Netanyahu sees what one Middle East official called “a historic window” for a preemptive strike. Still, Washington is discouraging such action, wary of backlash from Gulf allies and regional destabilization — though U.S. military positioning suggests quiet preparation for contingencies. The Pentagon has recently deployed B-2 bombers to Diego Garcia and bolstered its naval presence in the […]

China’s Commerce Ministry said Friday that Beijing is evaluating multiple approaches by the Trump administration for trade talks, but steep tariffs imposed by Washington must go. A ministry statement reiterated China’s stance that is open to talks, but also that Beijing is determined to fight if it must. It said one-sided tariffs of up to 145% remain an obstacle, undermining trust. “The tariff and trade wars were unilaterally initiated by the U.S., if the U.S. side wants to talk, it should show its sincerity, and be ready to take action on issues such as correcting wrong practices and canceling the unilateral imposition of tariffs,” it said. An unnamed ministry spokesperson was cited as saying that Beijing had taken note of various statements by senior U.S. officials indicating a willingness to negotiate over tariffs. “At the same time, the U.S. has recently taken the initiative to convey information to the Chinese side on a number of occasions through relevant parties, hoping to talk with the Chinese side. In this regard, the Chinese side is making an assessment,” it said. But it emphasized that China would regard overtures without a change in President Donald Trump’s sharp tariff hikes as insincere. “Saying one thing but doing another, or even attempting to engage in coercion and blackmail under the guise of talks, will not work on the Chinese side,” it said. China is in the midst of a public holiday, with government offices and markets closed. But share prices in Hong Kong jumped 1.7% early Friday, while Taiwan’s benchmark index was up 2.2%. U.S. futures also advanced. As of Friday, the Trump administration is ending a duty-free exemption on low-value imports from China. That will mean higher prices and delivery delays when the government starts collecting tariffs on every single shipment. Beijing has responded to Trump’s tariff hikes by raising its own duties on imports of U.S. products to as high as 125%. It has also tightened restrictions on exports to the U.S. of certain strategically important minerals and stopped importing a wide range of U.S. farm products. At the same time, China has sought to join with other countries to build a united front against Trump, while ramping up its own countermeasures to the impact of Trump’s tariffs. Trump has slapped a global 10% import tax, or tariff, to try to compel manufacturers to shift factories back to the U.S. He ordered double-digit “reciprocal” tariffs for many countries but then postponed their implementation for 90 days to allow time for negotiations. He has also hit foreign steel, aluminum and autos. The toughest measures were reserved for China, the world’s biggest exporter and second largest economy. His announcements of higher tariffs, suspensions, and then more tariffs have left companies, investors and consumers stymied over what comes next, hitting consumer confidence. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is leading the administration’s approach to China, has said he expects Beijing to call because the tariffs are not sustainable. In an interview Thursday with Fox Business, Bessent said the main issue with Beijing was not high tariffs but other barriers. “There’s a whole range of bad behavior by the Chinese,” Bessent said, mentioning theft of intellectual property like trademarks and cyberhacking.” “So, everything is on the table for the economic relationship,” he said, adding “I am confident that […]

President Trump issued an executive order late Thursday evening that cuts off all federal financial support to National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).

Both NPR and PBS, which have often come under criticism from conservatives for perceived political bias, receive part of their funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Trump argued that this support is no longer justified in today’s expansive media landscape.

“Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence,” Trump wrote in the order.

He further instructed, “The CPB Board shall cease direct funding to NPR and PBS, consistent with my Administration’s policy to ensure that Federal funding does not support biased and partisan news coverage.” Trump also directed the CPB to cancel any current direct funding agreements as far as the law permits and to withhold any future allocations.

{Matzav.com}

Home ownership is receding further out of reach for most Americans as elevated mortgage rates and rising prices stretch the limits of what buyers can afford. A homebuyer now needs to earn at least $114,000 a year to afford a $431,250 home — the national median listing price in April, according to data released Thursday by Realtor.com The analysis assumes that a homebuyer will make a 20% down payment, finance the rest of the purchase with a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, and that the buyer’s housing costs won’t exceed 30% of their gross monthly income — an often-used barometer of housing affordability. Based off the latest U.S. median home listing price, homebuyers need to earn $47,000 more a year to afford a home than they would have just six years ago. Back then, the median U.S. home listing price was $314,950, and the average rate on a 30-year mortgage hovered around 4.1%. This week, the rate averaged 6.76%. The annual income required to afford a median-priced U.S. home first crossed into the six figures in May 2022 and hasn’t dropped below that level since. Median household income was about $80,600 annually in 2023, according to the U.S. Census bureau. In several metro areas, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Boston, the annual income needed to afford a median-priced home tops $200,000. In San Jose, it’s more than $370,000. Rock-bottom mortgage rates turbocharged the housing market during the pandemic, fueling bidding wars for homes that pushed up sale prices sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars above a seller initial asking price. U.S. home prices soared more than 50% between 2019 and 2024. The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump since 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from their pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years. In March, they posted their largest monthly drop since November 2022. It’s not all bad news for prospective homebuyers. Home prices are rising much more slowly than during the pandemic housing market frenzy. The national median sales price of a previously occupied U.S. home rose 2.7% in March from a year earlier to $403,700, an all-time high for March, but the smallest annual increase since August. In April, the median price of a home listed for sale rose only 0.3% from a year earlier, according to Realtor.com. Buyers who can afford current mortgage rates have a wider selection of properties now than a year ago. Active listings — a tally that encompasses all homes on the market except those pending a finalized sale — surged 30.6% last month from a year earlier, according to Realtor.com. Home listings jumped between 67.6% and 70.1% in San Diego, San Jose and Washington D.C. As properties take longer to sell, more sellers are reducing their asking price. Some 18% of listings had their price reduced last month, according to Realtor.com. “Sellers are becoming more flexible on pricing, underscored by the price reductions we’re seeing, and while higher mortgage rates are certainly weighing on demand, the silver lining is that the market is starting to rebalance,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. “This could create opportunities for buyers who are prepared.” (AP)

The Reform Movement’s Legal Campaign Against Religious Life in Eretz Yisroel By: Dovid Gold Over the past decade or so, a wave of lawsuits targeting the lifestyle of the religious communities in Eretz Yisroel has been brought before the powerful and left-leaning Israeli Supreme Court. While not all of these cases have succeeded, they’ve complicated life for hundreds of thousands of religious people. Moreover, these petitions have deepened the divisions among Israeli society. But who is spending time and money to bring these cases? And why do they care how the frum community chooses to live?  A close look into each of these cases reveals a fascinating pattern. The fingerprints of the Jewish American woke left, organized into the Reform movement, are present each time. Desperate for relevance, Reform leaders in America have merged their anti-our Torah ideology with the woke left agenda, launching a systematic campaign against the Torah communities of Eretz Yisroel. In doing so, they have created a cause célèbre to rally their dwindling membership.  While the Israeli court system leans strongly to the left and is widely viewed as unkind to religion, by law, courts do not initiate actions against Israeli citizens. Courts intervene only when a petition is filed before them. Successfully bringing a case before the Supreme Court requires expert legal representation and significant financial resources. Litigation is expensive, and many cases drag on for years, racking up large legal fees. Without the backing of a well-funded institution, these petitions or lawsuits hardly stand a chance of gaining any traction. For these reasons, the status quo understanding between the state and the religious communities in Israel has mostly held. Only in more recent years have so many rulings been handed down by the courts targeting religious practices.  This new reality is due to the emergence of a new force on the Israeli scene: The Reform Center for Religion and State. This legal arm of the Reform movement in Israel has taken the lead in each of these petitions and the lawyers they retain have fought these battles.  The Reform Center was established approximately 35 years ago. Officially, it was founded to advocate for the rights of Reform communities and promote the recognition of pluralistic and Reform values. However, in practice, the Center has led campaigns against virtually every area in which the Torah communities of Israel operate. Key Legal Battles  Since the advent of cell phones, the Charedi public in Eretz Yisroel has embraced the use of kosher-filtered cell phones, which safeguard the purity and wholesomeness of their chosen way of life. But in 2016, a lawsuit claimed these phones don’t allow access to hotlines for people with alternative lifestyles. This sparked a years-long legal saga to protect what the Charedi community views as a basic right. While this case continues to work through the legal system, the courts have already ordered the Knesset to pass laws that satisfy these pluralistic goals.  A review of the official court documents shows that the petition was jointly brought by organizations advocating for those who practice alternative lifestyles along with the Reform Center and the Movement for Progressive Judaism, another Reform arm. And that all the petitioners were represented by lawyers who are members of the Center’s legal staff. It is obvious that the Reform movement has […]

WATCH:

The discussions have taken place in an ornate Kremlin hall, on the polished marble of St. Peter’s Basilica and in a famously contentious session in the Oval Office of the White House. What’s emerged so far from the Washington-led effort to end the war in Ukraine suggests a deal that seems likely to be favorable to Russia: President Donald Trump has sharply rebuked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, echoed Kremlin talking points, and indicated Kyiv would have to surrender territory and forego NATO membership. What’s more, he has engaged in a rapprochement with Moscow that was unthinkable months ago. More recently, Trump has offered mixed signals — social media posts that perhaps Russian President Vladimir Putin is stringing him along — and a deal has yet to materialize. While the optics so far have been in the Kremlin’s favor, no proposals that were put forth have been cemented. And on Wednesday, Washington and Kyiv signed an agreement granting American access to Ukraine’s vast mineral resources that could enable continued military aid to the country under ongoing attacks from Russia. Zelenskyy said Thursday the deal was the first result of his “truly historic” meeting with Trump at the Vatican before the funeral of Pope Francis. Dialogue and aligned vision One gain for the Kremlin is that Washington is talking again to Moscow after years of extremely strained ties following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine — and not just about the war, said Nikolay Petrov, senior research fellow with the New Eurasian Strategies Centre think tank. Russian officials and state media from the very start of discussions with Trump’s officials sought to underscore that Ukraine was only one item on the vast agenda of the “two superpowers.” Trump and Putin talked in March about Ukraine but also the Middle East, stopping the proliferation of strategic weapons and even organizing hockey games between the countries. Russia’s main state TV channel reported that the meeting between Putin and Trump envoy Steve-Witkoff showed that Moscow and Washington were building “a new structure of the world” together. In this sense, “Putin already got a part of what he sought” — the optics of Russia as a country that is on par with the U.S., Petrov said. Trump has said Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula Moscow illegally annexed in 2014, “will stay with Russia,” and outlines of a peace proposal his team reportedly presented to Kyiv last month apparently included allowing Russia to keep control of other occupied Ukrainian territories. Trump, who had a contentious meeting with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Feb. 28, lashed out at him for publicly rejecting the idea of ceding land, and also said that Kyiv was unlikely to ever join NATO. All of these have long been Moscow’s talking points, and Trump’s use of them suggested his administration’s vision was aligned with the Kremlin’s. Trump also seemingly puts more pressure on Kyiv than Moscow in trying to reach a peace deal and appears eager to return to a more normal relationship with Russia and its “big business opportunities,” said Sam Greene of King’s College London. “Is there any part of this that doesn’t look like a win for Russia? No,” Greene adds. So far, it’s only talk But so far, all of this has remained nothing but rhetoric, with terms of a possible settlement still very much “in the air,” says […]

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Organizers of the Gaza “freedom flotilla”, who intended to “break the Israeli siege” on the Gaza Strip, claimed that it was attacked by drones off the coast of Malta in international waters, CNN reported on Friday. “There is a hole in the vessel right now and the ship is sinking,” Yasemin Acar, the spokesperson for the terror flotilla, told CNN. Vidoes posted on the X by the “coalition” show a fire burning on a ship, which, according to marine websites, is the Palau-flagged “Conscience” ship that departed from Tunisia. The organizers of the flotilla, who accuse Israel of “genocide” on their social media pages, wrote about the incident on social media: “At 00:23 Maltese time, the Freedom Flotilla vessel was subjected to a drone attack. The front of the vessel was targeted twice, resulting in a fire and a breach in the hull. The ship is currently located in international waters near Malta.” “SOS distress signal was sent out, to which only southern Cyprus has responded by dispatching a vessel. No other countries have responded. The drone attack appears to have specifically targeted the ship’s generator, and the vessel is now at risk of sinking with 30 international human rights activists on board. “Call the Maltese government NOW.” Shortly later, the Maltese government issued a statement contradicting the organizers’ claims, saying that everyone aboard the ship, 12 crew members and 4 civilians, is safe. No mention was made of “30 international activists.” “The vessel had 12 crew members on board and four civilian passengers; no casualties were reported,” the statement said, adding that, unlike the organizers’ claims, the incident received a prompt response and was not ignored for “hours.” Israel has not commented on the report. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

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The IDF successfully intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis in Yemen at northern Israel early Friday morning, triggering sirens in the Upper and Lower Galil, Haifa and its suburbs, Binyamina, and the Jezreel Valley. The missile was successfully intercepted before it entered Israel. However, shrapnel from an interceptor missile hit a kindergarten in Mishmar HaEmek, penetrating the roof of the building and falling into the kindergarten. B’Chasdei Hashem, no one was injured as the kindergarten has not yet opened for the day. Shai Regev, the head of education at Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek, was quoted by Ynet as saying. “It’s a huge neis. The children could have been injured if this had happened while the kindergarten was open. The shrapnel pierced the roof and ceiling—it was a terrifying scene that illustrates how tangible the danger is.” The MDA spokesperson reported that one man was injured in the incident while rushing to a protected space. It was the second time in 10 days that the Houthis launched a missile at northern Israel, and the second Houthi missile launched at Israel this week. Israel is currently refraining from responding to the Houthi missiles at the request of the US, which embarked on a military campaign against the Houthis a month and a half ago. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisroel Katz declared early Friday that Israel had carried out an airstrike near the Syrian presidential palace in Damascus.

“This is a clear message to the Syrian regime. We will not permit Syrian troops to move south of Damascus or any threat to the Druze community,” they said together in a statement released to the public.

Shortly after, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed the operation, stating, “A short while ago, IDF fighter jets struck adjacent to the area of the Palace of Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa in Damascus.”

The timing of the strike came shortly after a series of fierce protests broke out in northern Israel, led by members of the Druze community outraged over reported assaults against their fellow Druze in Syria by the forces of President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The demonstrations paralyzed several major thoroughfares, including Highway 6 at the Eliakim interchange and the Kabri and Amiad junctions. Protesters lit tires on fire and created significant traffic delays. Eventually, some demonstrators marched toward Netanyahu’s home in Caesarea.

At the same time, a group of Druze reservists sent an urgent appeal to Netanyahu, titled: “Immediate IDF intervention to stop the massacre against the Druze community in Syria.”

In the letter, the reservists stated: “Hundreds of Druze fighters are ready to immediately volunteer and fight alongside our brothers to save them, even at the cost of taking responsibility for ourselves, including all the risks involved to our safety and lives.”

Prior to the strike, Defense Minister Katz had issued a stern caution to the Syrian government. “I reiterate my warning to the head of the Syrian regime, Julani – if the attacks on the Druze in Syria do not stop, we will respond with great severity.” Katz further noted that Israel remains “committed to their protection and is closely monitoring the situation.”

On a diplomatic front, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar weighed in during a gathering with international diplomats at the President’s Residence. He called on other nations to act.

“Fulfill your role in protecting the minorities in Syria, and specifically the Druze, from the regime and its terrorist gangs,” Sa’ar urged.

{Matzav.com}

In the newest installment of her podcast, Michelle Obama reflected on her childhood, saying she was raised with a deep sense of appreciation — something she believes is missing in many of today’s youth.

Discussing the topic alongside her brother Craig Robinson on their podcast, IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson, she noted, “When I think about what our parents did or didn’t do, and maybe it’s a little bit different because we’re brother-sister, because that same gender dynamic may make it a little bit hard.”

She emphasized that a major reason for their peaceful sibling relationship stemmed from respect for their parents’ sacrifices. “But I know we got along for some of the same reasons,” she said. “Our parents worked hard enough without us fighting and causing havoc. We knew our parents were working as hard as they could. We knew that they were giving us as much as they could. I guess we grew up grateful.”

Obama pointed out that their upbringing gave them a strong sense of perspective, which helped them avoid unnecessary conflict. “What we had was a lot of gratitude for the little bit that we did have,” she continued. “So it was sort of like, well, what was there left for us to be fighting about?”

Contrasting that with current times, she suggested that many kids today take things for granted. She voiced this sentiment while also speaking with comedians and brothers Damon and Marlon Wayans, saying she sees a shift not just in children but in parenting styles.

“Perhaps sometimes in this generation, where kids have, I think, too much, parents are giving kids a lot of stuff, and they’re not giving them some guidance,” she said.

She also recalled a major difference in how emotional well-being was addressed in her household. “I don’t know about you, but my parents never asked me once whether I was happy. There was never even a question,” she added.

{Matzav.com}

Talk about some serious coin. Millions of coins spilled onto a Texas highway this week after a tractor-trailer hauling $800,000 in dimes rolled over in an accident, authorities said. The spillage led to the closure of a portion of the southbound lanes of U.S. 287 in Alvord for about half a day as workers got on their hands and knees to pick up the coins in addition to using brooms and shovels and large industrial vacuums. The tractor-trailer rolled onto its side at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday after veering off the road and overcorrecting, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The highway reopened at about 7 p.m. that day, DPS said. The driver and a passenger were transported to a hospital with injuries that were not life threatening, DPS said. Alvord is located about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Dallas. The tractor-trailer appears to be part of the fleet of trucks operated by Western Distributing Transportation Corporation, which has a division that moves cargo for the government in armored vehicles with armed personnel. A person answering the phone at the company Thursday said they had no comment. The U.S. Mint says on its website that it’s the nation’s sole manufacturer of legal tender coins. (AP)

U.S. intelligence efforts into the roots of the COVID-19 pandemic are moving forward through a special unit known as the Directors Initiative Group, which has been tasked with digging into a number of President Donald Trump’s high-priority national security concerns, according to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

During an appearance on “The Megyn Kelly Show” on SiriusXM Wednesday, Gabbard revealed that this task force is working closely with NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Their investigation includes scrutiny of gain-of-function experiments, particularly those tied to China and other nations. She noted that findings from the inquiry may be disclosed shortly.

“In the case of the Wuhan lab, as well as many of these bio labs around the world, it was actually U.S.-funded and led to this dangerous kind of research that, in many examples, has resulted in a pandemic or some other major health crisis,” Gabbard told Kelly.

She said the probe is advancing quickly and could soon produce evidence connecting gain-of-function work with the outbreak. Kelly commented that if the link is proven, it would implicate “Anthony Fauci helped fund the pandemic.”

“[This is] the thing that he denied over and over and over to [Kentucky Republican] Sen. Rand Paul’s questioning,” said Gabbard. “And under oath. So is it any wonder that he sought a preemptive pardon for anything, during a certain period of time, by President [Joe] Biden before he left office?”

Gabbard emphasized that this investigation isn’t merely retrospective. It’s about current global threats, as dangerous gain-of-function studies continue to be conducted in labs across multiple countries.

She also recalled being criticized when she raised concerns about American-funded biological laboratories in Ukraine at the start of the conflict with Russia.

“Who knows what kinds of pathogens are in these labs, and if released, could create another COVID-like pandemic,” she said. “For that, I was called a Russian asset … we have to end this gain-of-function research and provide the evidence that shows exactly why and how it’s in our best interest — the American people’s best interest — to bring about an end to it.”

When asked about her future in public service, Gabbard, who once sought the Democratic presidential nomination, said she remains open to roles that serve the nation.

“If we had talked a year ago, the thought would not have crossed my mind that I would be here and that we would be having this conversation,” said Gabbard. “My decisions in my life have always been made around how can I best be of service to God? How can I best be of service to our country? And that is what has led me here. I’m grateful for this opportunity, and I will continue to chase those opportunities where I can make the most positive impact and be of service.”

{Matzav.com}

Demonstrators associated with the organization “Free Jerusalem” staged a provocative protest outside the Knesset on Thursday, lining the area near the iconic menorah with lifeless-looking effigies splattered in red to mimic blood. The action was meant to signal their opposition to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, the group said in a post on X.

“Independence celebrated on the blood of tens of thousands of people in is not independence,” the group stated.

The protest installation was accompanied by provocative placards bearing inflammatory messages, including “Celebrating 77 years of Jewish supremacy and ethnic cleansing” and “Isolate Israel! Stop the genocide.”

“Free Jerusalem” has been a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, denouncing what it describes as collective punishment of Palestinians. The group has condemned policies such as demolishing homes of terrorists and restricting humanitarian assistance to the Strip.

Members of the group have frequently drawn police attention, with several arrests on charges of incitement. Before the atrocities of October 7, they held regular protests in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, demanding an end to what they call the Israeli occupation and advocating to cut funding for the national police force.

Following the outbreak of the war, the group initially staged a silent protest backing a prisoner exchange deal. They later shifted their messaging to emphasize the need to “release the hostages.”

The organization has consistently rejected any military resolution to the conflict, maintaining, “Only a political vision can bring peace, equality, and justice to everyone between the river and the sea.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Republican-controlled U.S. House voted Thursday to block California from enforcing first-in-the-nation rules phasing out the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035. The move comes a day after the chamber voted to halt California standards to cut tailpipe emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, as well as curb smog-forming nitrogen oxide pollution from trucks. “The passage of these resolutions is a victory for Americans who will not be forced into purchasing costly EVs because of California’s unworkable mandates,” House Republicans Brett Guthrie of Kentucky and Morgan Griffith of Virginia, said in a statement. “If not repealed, the California waivers would lead to higher prices for both new and used vehicles, increase our reliance on China, and strain our electric grid.” California for decades has been given the authority to adopt vehicle emissions standards that are stricter than the federal government’s. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020 announced plans to ban the sale of all new gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035, as part of an aggressive effort to lower emissions from the transportation sector. Plug-in hybrids and used gas cars could still be sold. State regulators then formalized the rules, some other states announced plans to follow them, and the Biden administration approved the state’s waiver to implement them in December, a month before President Donald Trump returned to office. This week’s House votes fell largely along party lines, though some Democrats joined Republicans to advance them. That would be against the advice of the Senate Parliamentarian, who sides with the U.S. General Accountability Office in saying California’s policies are not subject to the review mechanism used by the House. Republicans used the Congressional Review Act, a law aimed at improving congressional oversight of actions by federal agencies, to try to block the rules. The Trump administration in 2019 revoked California’s ability to enforce its own emissions standards, but Biden later restored the state’s authority. But the California standards cannot legally be blocked using the Congressional Review Act, the U.S. Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan congressional watchdog, wrote in a letter to Congress in March. Newsom said the effort is another signal of Republicans’ ideological shift over the decades from an era in which former presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan signed landmark environmental laws to one in which Trump is pushing for environmental rollbacks on everything from clean air to clean water and climate change. “Clean air didn’t used to be political,” Newsom said in a statement. “Our vehicles program helps clean the air for all Californians, and we’ll continue defending it.” A spokesperson for the California Air Resources Board, which passed the vehicle emission standards, said the agency “will continue its mission to protect the public health of Californians impacted by harmful air pollution.” It is unclear what will happen in the Senate. The Senate Parliamentarian in April reaffirmed the GAO’s findings that California’s Clean Air Act waivers are not subject to the Congressional Review Act, according to California Sen. Adam Schiff’s office. “We will fight this latest attack on California’s power to protect its own residents, and I will urge my colleagues in the Senate to recognize the severe implications of proceeding with this violation of states’ rights, as well as the dangerous precedent it would set by flouting the unanimous opinion of Congress’ trusted […]