Channel 14 commentator Yaakov Bardugo, who is considered a close confidant of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, revealed on Sunday evening that a deal to release about ten Israeli hostages that was already closed was thwarted by Qatar. “The time has come to declare Qatar as an enemy state of the Jewish people,” Bardugo said. These remarks follow the Prime Minister’s Office’s unusual statements against Qatar in recent days. The Prime Minister’s Office published a rare official statement on Motzei Shabbos, saying: “The time has come for Qatar to stop playing both sides with its double talk and decide if it’s on the side of civilization or if it’s on the side of Hamas barbarism. Israel will win this just war with just means.” Netanyahu’s office chose to publish the message in English and publicly for the first time, hinting that Qatar is undermining the efforts to release the hostages. The attack sparked a strong response from the Qatari Foreign Ministry, which strongly condemned the remarks. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari called Netanyahu’s statements “inflammatory” and “far from meeting the basic standards of political responsibility.” He claimed that Qatar is working “in coordination with its partners to end the fighting and return the hostages,” and asked sarcastically whether the release of 138 hostages so far was thanks to mediation or thanks to bombings. Bardugo’s words echo the message of the Prime Minister’s Office and exacerbate the tone: Qatar is not only not helpful as a mediator with Hamas but actively sabotages possible understandings with the terror group. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
A newly aired exposé on Channel 13’s Hamakor program has brought to light the deep friction that existed between Israel and the Biden administration, particularly surrounding sensitive security decisions. The report uncovers a specific incident in which Israel’s communication with Washington broke down over a planned military operation targeting Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Mike Herzog, who previously served as Israel’s ambassador to the United States, explained on the show that Israeli officials had intended to notify Washington in advance of the operation, specifically reaching out to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. However, Herzog said their attempts were met with silence, stemming from American frustration over what they perceived as a diplomatic slight regarding a proposed Lebanon ceasefire. “It was agreed that we would update the Americans, at the level of Jake Sullivan,” said Herzog. “We tried setting up a phone call with Jake Sullivan and he didn’t get back to us. He was angry because he thought we had deceived them, and we let them make public the initiative for a ceasefire and make them look foolish, while we are planning to eliminate Nasrallah.”
Because the outreach to Sullivan failed, the responsibility to alert the U.S. ultimately fell to then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who connected with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin shortly before the operation commenced.
When asked how Austin reacted to the bombshell news during the phone conversation, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro declined to describe the tone or details, saying only, “I’ll allow others to characterize that call.”
Gallant himself recounted the conversation during his interview with Hamakor, describing the precise moment he delivered the news. “I updated Austin 15 minutes before the operation. I told him, ‘We’re about to eliminate Nasrallah’. He asked me, ‘When?’. I told him, ‘15 minutes’. He really did not like this. He told me, ‘This could lead to a regional war’. I told him, ‘With all due respect, this man murdered thousands of Israelis and hundreds of Americans. I suggest you carefully consider your response.’”
Continuing the account, Gallant described how Austin sought assurance that the intelligence behind the strike was sound. “So he (Austin) asks me, ‘Are you convinced he’s there?’. I told him, ‘There is a very high probability.’”
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Matzav.com}
Seventy to eighty percent of mothers experience the “baby blues,” but a staggering one in seven go on to develop postpartum depression—making it the most common complication of childbirth. The perinatal period—from the start of pregnancy through the first year after childbirth—can be a time of great excitement and joy, but for many, it is also marked by mental health challenges. In frum communities, where we place a strong value on having children and have high birth rates, awareness of perinatal mood disorders is especially important. Postpartum depression is a form of clinical depression that occurs after giving birth, typically within the first few weeks or months, but can last for quite a while if untreated. It can affect a mother’s mood, energy, sleep, appetite, and ability to bond with her baby or care for herself and her family. The “baby blues” refer to a short-lived period of mood swings, tearfulness, anxiety, and irritability that many new mothers experience in the first few days after childbirth. Postpartum depression (PPD) can result from various factors: hormonal fluctuations, the physical recovery from childbirth, and sleep deprivation. Individuals with a personal or family history of depression or anxiety, a traumatic or stressful birth experience, limited social support, or additional life stressors are at elevated risk. The transition to motherhood is a major life shift, and many women find themselves overwhelmed by the demands of caring for a newborn. A woman may enter motherhood with high expectations, only to be surprised by how difficult it is. The pressure to “get everything right” can contribute to feelings of inadequacy and disappointment. Some may struggle to bond with their baby, leading to guilt or sadness. What surprises many is that nearly 10% of fathers also experience postpartum depression. Hormonal shifts, increased stress, and sleep loss all play a role. Unfortunately, stigma and a lack of awareness often prevent men from seeking help. Symptoms of PPD can include: Persistent sadness or hopelessness Irritability and mood swings Fatigue and low energy Difficulty bonding with the baby Sleep disturbances Appetite changes Trouble concentrating or making decisions In severe cases, thoughts of death or suicide Treatment options include therapy, medication, support groups, and lifestyle changes. The baby blues typically resolve within two weeks after childbirth. If symptoms persist beyond that, it may indicate a perinatal mood disorder. If you or someone you love is experiencing these symptoms, it’s important to approach the situation with empathy and concern. Normalize the challenges of postpartum adjustment and offer concrete support—such as helping find a therapist, watching the baby, or simply listening without judgment. Sleep is vital to mental health. Offering to care for the baby so a parent can rest can be tremendously helpful. Reducing social isolation is also key; spending time with the new parent can make a big difference. Instead of saying, “Let me know if you need anything,” offer something specific: “Can I bring you a meal?” or “How about I hold the baby while you shower?” This reduces the pressure on the parent to ask for help and makes your support feel more genuine. It takes a village to raise a child—and nowhere is this more true than when parents are struggling with postpartum mood disorders. These conditions are common and treatable. Awareness, detection, and timely intervention are essential. […]
President Donald Trump on Sunday said Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected his proposal to send U.S. troops to Mexico to help thwart the illegal drug trade because she is fearful of the country’s powerful cartels The comments by Trump came a day after Sheinbaum confirmed that Trump pressed her in a call last month to accept a bigger role for the U.S. military in combating drug cartels in Mexico. Trump said it was “true” that he proposed sending the troops to Mexico and lashed into Sheinbaum for dismissing the idea. “Well she’s so afraid of the cartels she can’t walk, so you know that’s the reason,” Trump said in comments to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday. “And I think she’s a lovely woman. The president of Mexico is a lovely woman, but she is so afraid of the cartels that she can’t even think straight.” The U.S. military presence along the southern border with Mexico has increased steadily in recent months, following Trump’s order in January to increase the army’s role in stemming the flow of migrants. The U.S. Northern Command has surged troops and equipment to the border, increased manned surveillance flights to monitor fentanyl trafficking along the border and sought expanded authority for U.S. Special Forces to work closely with Mexican forces conducting operations against cartels. But Sheinbaum said that U.S. troops operating inside Mexico was going too far. “We can work together, but you in your territory and us in ours,” Sheinbaum said she told Trump. Trump in February designated as “foreign terrorist organizations” many gangs and cartels smuggling drugs into the U.S. , restricting their movements and lending law enforcement more resources to act against them. But Sheinbaum’s stance — and Trump’s response — suggest that U.S. pressure for unilateral military intervention could create tension between the two leaders after cooperation on immigration and trade in the early going of Trump’s second term. Trump said the U.S. military is needed to stem the scourge of fentanyl in the United States. “They are bad news,” Trump said of the cartels. “If Mexico wanted help with the cartels we would be honored to go in and do it. I told her that. I would be honored to go in and do it. The cartels are trying to destroy our country.” (AP)
it is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of Rebbetzin Chaya Sarah Koledetzky a”h, who passed away at the age of 80.
She was a long-time resident of the Givat Shaul neighborhood and the devoted wife of Rav Zelig Koledetzky, the legendary founder and gabbai of the Chanichei HaYeshivos Shul, Ohel Yonasan.
Her levayah took place today and she was laid to rest at Har HaMenuchos.
Rebbetzin Koledetzky a”h was born on the 21st of Adar in 1945 to her esteemed parents: her father, Rav Shalom Zuckerman zt”l, served as the rav of Moshav Kadima and later as the rov of the Religious Council and neighborhoods Aleph through Gimel in Bnei Brak, and her mother, Rebbetzin Golda Malka a”h, was a daughter of Rav Yisrael Itzik Rabinowitz zt”l, rav of Minsk.
Upon reaching marriageable age, she married her husband Rav Zelig, son of Rav Shachna Koledetzky zt”l, a great talmid chacham and one of the prominent figures in Yerushalayim who was revered by the leading gedolim of the previous generation.
Together with her husband, she built a home of Torah and yiras Shamayim in Givat Shaul.
Rav Zelig was known not only as the long-time gabbai of the Chanichei HaYeshivos Shul, where many of the generation’s gedolim davened, but also as a veteran sofer and safra dedayna at the Rabbinical Court of Yerushalayim.
Rebbetzin Koldetzky was a paragon of dignity and kindness, embodying the words, “Piah pascha b’chochmah v’soras chesed al leshonah.” She greeted others with warmth, compassion, and grace, earning the admiration and love of all who knew her.
She merited to raise generations of bnei Torah and yirei Shamayim. Among her children is Rav Shalom Koledetzky of the Igud Bnei HaYeshivos of Yerushalayim.
The family is sitting shiva at her home, 9 Rechov Amram Gaon Street in Givat Shaul, Yerushalayim.
Yehi zichrah baruch.
{Matzav.com Israel}
In a recent episode of his widely shared Q&A sessions, Harav Gershon Ribner shlit”a, addressed a question posed by a group of bochurim deeply concerned about their role in resolving the ongoing shidduch crisis. The bochurim, who identified themselves as a group not eager to leave their American yeshiva early, asked a straightforward yet loaded question: “We want to stay in our current yeshiva, but we also feel an achrayus to help solve the shidduch crisis. What should we do?” Rav Gershon’s answer was equally straightforward — and striking: The best way to help solve the shidduch crisis is to stay in your American yeshiva through fourth-year beis medrash and then go straight to BMG or another yeshiva where you can begin shidduchim. Skip Eretz Yisroel entirely. The statement comes in the wake of an initiative, slowly being implemented in various yeshivos across the U.S., which encourages bochurim to head to Eretz Yisroel during their third year of beis medrash. The goal behind this movement, supported by many gedolei Yisroel and rabbanim across the U.S., is to have bochurim enter the shidduchim market earlier while simultaneously encouraging girls to wait longer before entering shidduchim, thereby narrowing the age gap and easing the current shidduch crisis. But Rav Gershon offered a dissenting view, voicing skepticism over the benefits of even including learning in Eretz Yisroel yeshivos as the model for bochurim’s aliyah. Rav Gershon argues that the pathway forward for responsible bochurim is to maximize their learning and aliyah b’Torah in their American yeshivos and then transition directly into the shidduch parsha at the appropriate age — not to insert an overseas detour that might delay, distract, or further complicate the dating process. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
President Donald Trump’s 2026 federal budget proposal includes sweeping cuts across domestic agencies and so-called “woke programs,” but one area is set for a major expansion: the creation of a “Golden Dome” missile defense system — a massive, U.S.-based version of Israel’s Iron Dome. The proposal, which outlines a staggering $113 billion increase to the Department of Defense budget — a 13% jump — includes a down payment on what the document calls a “next-generation missile defense shield that would protect the U.S. from missile threats coming from any adversary.” “Israel has it, other places have it, and the United States should have it, too,” Trump declared during his March address to Congress, in which he formally asked lawmakers to fund the initiative. Modeled after Israel’s Iron Dome, which intercepts incoming rockets mid-air and has been credited with saving countless lives from Hamas and Hezbollah attacks, the “Golden Dome” has long been a pet project of Trump’s. He signed an executive order on the concept shortly after retaking office in January and has since pushed the Pentagon to fast-track development. Yet serious questions remain — not least among them how such a system could be implemented across a country the size of the United States, which does not face the same kind of short-range missile threats from neighboring countries as Israel does. Critics are also questioning who might benefit. According to a New York Times report, SpaceX, the aerospace company helmed by Trump ally Elon Musk, is poised to be a major contractor in the program. The company manufactures both rocket interceptors and surveillance technology, key components for any missile shield. The news has triggered backlash on Capitol Hill. Dozens of House Democrats have demanded an investigation into Musk’s involvement in the procurement process, raising concerns about favoritism, transparency, and conflicts of interest. “We cannot allow our defense contracts to become a political payback scheme,” one Democratic lawmaker said. “This is about national security — not lining the pockets of the president’s billionaire friends.” Despite these objections, the “Golden Dome” initiative is gaining traction among defense hawks, who argue that an American missile shield is long overdue given the rise of hypersonic and ballistic missile technology in China, Russia, and North Korea. The Trump administration insists the budget proposal represents a strategic shift toward “hard power” and homeland protection, even as it slashes funding for agencies including the EPA, Department of Education, and State Department. Whether the plan moves forward depends on Congress, which must approve the president’s budget. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A lawsuit was filed in federal court in Manhattan by 57 Jewish and Israeli travelers, accusing United Airlines of antisemitic behavior after their flight to Tel Aviv in April 2023 was unexpectedly redirected back to Newark. The plaintiffs claim the airline had no valid justification for the decision and that they were collectively mistreated.
The incident took place on April 22, falling between Holocaust Remembrance Day and Israeli Independence Day. According to the legal filing, the chain of events began when a passenger briefly occupied an empty crew seat while waiting for the bathroom. The flight crew is said to have responded harshly, setting off a confrontation that ended with the plane turning around mid-flight. Witnesses reported that crew members warned the flight would be rerouted if the man didn’t move, but passengers thought the threat was idle. “No one explained what was happening,” said Shlomit, a passenger on board. “We just saw the flight path shift on the screen. When we landed, the police were already waiting.”
After the plane returned to Newark, the passenger at the center of the controversy was taken into custody but was subsequently released. Jeff Hunt, another passenger, shared footage online showing the man walking calmly through the aisle, telling his side of the story. Numerous travelers were left waiting for hours to receive hotel accommodations from United, and some reported never receiving any.
The lawsuit accuses United personnel of “incompetence, racism and discriminatory treatment of Jewish passengers,” and alleges the airline punished the entire group over what amounted to a minor incident. One man claimed that when he asked for help rebooking while wearing a kippah, a crew member told him, “Go ask your people.” The plaintiffs, represented by attorney Yoram Nachimovsky, are pursuing financial compensation and are calling for the airline to implement mandatory anti-bias education for its staff.
Responding to the accusations, United Airlines issued a firm denial in a statement to Ynet. “We have reviewed the incident, and the plaintiffs’ claims are meritless. One passenger who was a safety and security risk caused the flight to return to Newark. Our crew put safety first and exhibited professionalism in managing this matter, and we will vigorously defend against these false allegations.”
{Matzav.com}
JUST NOW: A Jewish man was assaulted and called a “dirty Jew” by a violent individual at the Dunkin’ Donuts on Flatbush Avenue and Avenue L. Thanks to the swift response of Flatbush Shomrim, the suspect was quickly located and taken into custody by the NYPD on East 38th Street near Kings Highway. During the arrest, the suspect also bit an NYPD officer on the arm.
It felt much longer, but the U.S. stock market needed just a few weeks to roar all the way back to where it was on President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day.” That’s when he shocked Wall Street by announcing much steeper tariffs than expected on nearly all U.S. trading partners. Those tariffs unveiled on April 2 were so severe that they raised fears Trump did not worry about causing a recession in his attempt to reshape the global economy. Within just four days, the S&P 500 fell about 12%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost nearly 4,600 points, or about 11%. This past Friday, though, the S&P 500 rallied 1.5% for a ninth straight gain and pulled back to where it was on April 2. Of course, the index at the heart of many 401(k) accounts is still more than 7% below its all-time high set earlier this year. And stocks could easily fall again as uncertainty remains high about what Trump’s tariffs will ultimately do to the economy. But the run for U.S. stocks back upward has been just as wild and unexpected as its fall. Here’s a look at what happened: The pause On April 9, Trump announced on social media a “90-day PAUSE” for most of the tariffs he’d announced a week earlier, except those against China. The S&P 500 soared 9.5% for one of its best days ever. Even that good news came with a bit of controversy, however: hours before he announced the pause, Trump proclaimed on Truth Social that “this is a great time to buy.” De-escalation The weeks after the pause were a roller coaster. Trump talked about negotiating tariffs with the trading partners while also using tariffs to force companies to move manufacturing to the U.S., two goals seemingly at odds with one another. The market did find relief in what the Treasury secretary referred to as de-escalation between the U.S. and China. Investors also welcomed Trump’s moves to ease tariffs on autos as well as smartphones and other electronics. Bonds and the buck The severity of the U.S. stock market’s fall after Liberation Day surprised some market watchers. They had assumed Trump would backtrack on policies that hurt the Dow Jones Industrial Average. This is a president, after all, who crowed repeatedly during his first term about how the Dow was doing. But it was fear in other financial markets that may have forced Trump’s hand. Tumbling prices for U.S. government bonds raised worries that the U.S. Treasury market was losing its status as the world’s safest place to keep cash. The value of the U.S. dollar also sank in another signal of diminishing faith in the United States as a safe haven for investors. Trump himself said he had noticed how bond investors were “getting a little queasy” before he paused his tariffs. The economy Economists and investors had to reconcile contradictory signals about the economy. Surveys of consumers showed declining confidence, largely due to the uncertainty created by the Trump trade policy. But what investors call “hard data,” such as employment numbers, indicated the economy was still doing OK. As of Friday, when the government said employers had added 177,000 jobs in April, the hard numbers appeared to have a advantage over the weak sentiment. The Fed The Federal Reserve cut rates three times at the end of 2024, but then implemented a pause of its own […]
By December 31, 2025, a seismic shift in Israel’s mobile infrastructure will sever lifelines for up to a million users, including tens of thousands of Charedim, unless swift action is taken. In what could become one of the most disruptive transitions in Israeli tech history, the Ministry of Communications is mandating a full shutdown of the country’s aging 2G and 3G cellular networks. While framed as a necessary leap toward high-speed 4G and 5G, the move risks plunging vulnerable populations—especially the elderly, low-income families, and Charedim—into sudden, silent isolation. The shutdown isn’t just a technical milestone. For tens of thousands of Charedim who rely on basic “kosher phones”—devices that deliberately exclude internet, SMS, and social media access—the looming deadline threatens both daily functionality and the spiritual safeguards they depend on. Of the approximately one million 2G and 3G devices still in use in Israel, around 150,000 belong to Charedim. Many of these devices have “hashgachos,” and are foundational to the kosher mobile infrastructure so carefully cultivated over the past two decades. In 2023, intense lobbying from the Charedi sector temporarily delayed parts of the shutdown, as rabbonim and askanim raised alarms about the lack of 4G-compatible kosher alternatives. Today, thanks to behind-the-scenes scrambling by the Rabbinical Committee for Communications, dozens of such phones have entered the Israeli market—many imported from India and China, featuring only call functionality and minimal camera quality, devoid of texting or data capabilities. But that doesn’t mean the storm has passed. “There are still at least 150,000 Charedim using phones that simply won’t work on January 1,” a senior telecom executive warned. “We can’t afford a blackout in Bnei Brak or Meah Shearim because someone’s grandfather didn’t know his SIM card would stop working.” Kosher phone stores have begun stocking 4G-compliant models, and carriers like Pelephone and Hot Mobile are offering partial subsidies for rabbinically-approved handsets. Still, concerns remain—particularly regarding medical alert devices, security systems in Charedi shuls and schools, and elderly users who may lack the awareness or financial means to upgrade. What makes this shutdown even more fraught is the communication gap: kosher phones don’t display SMS messages, and their users often avoid internet or secular media, making it more difficult to let them know about the shutdown. To counter this, the Ministry of Communications has authorized special robocalls and “Flash SMS” messages that display automatically, bypassing traditional opt-ins. Additionally, in Charedi strongholds, awareness campaigns are expected to roll out via flyers in shuls, community newspapers, and hotline announcements. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
In a revelation that may reshape historians’ understanding of the Holocaust’s origins, nearly 800 newly unearthed recordings and transcripts of post-World War II interrogations have been published, including a staggering confession from one of the Nazis’ most notorious war criminals. Among the digital files released Saturday by the Hoover Institution is a recording of SS officer Bruno Streckenbach, a man long suspected of overseeing some of the most gruesome crimes of the Third Reich. In the tape, Streckenbach admits that Adolf Hitler himself issued the explicit order for the “Final Solution” — a grim confirmation in what has long been a contested historical debate. “This is the order from the Führer,” Streckenbach recalled being told by Reinhard Heydrich, the architect of the Nazi killing machine. “He chose the SS to carry out this order.” The confession not only places Hitler at the center of the genocide but also lifts the veil on the internal horror and moral breakdown among SS officers as the killing escalated. Streckenbach, who commanded the Einsatzgruppen — Nazi death squads that executed hundreds of thousands of Jews across Eastern Europe — recounts an early encounter with fellow officer Erwin Schulz, who had grown visibly shaken by the mass executions in Ukraine. “Schulz trembled, trembled like I’m trembling now. He said, ‘What are we doing?’ And I said, ‘We can’t do anything… there was an order.’” The testimony is especially damning because Streckenbach was never tried or imprisoned, despite his suspected involvement in the murder of over one million people. He died a free man, evading justice even as prosecutors attempted for decades to bring him to trial. The release of the recordings, which also detail escape routes used by Nazi fugitives, offers a grim window into both the operational mechanics of the Holocaust and the bureaucratic coldness with which genocide was executed. Thomas Weber, professor of history at the University of Aberdeen and the researcher who uncovered the materials, emphasized the historic weight of the confession. “This recording decisively alters the historical record,” Weber said. “For decades, the defense of many Nazi officers hinged on the claim that they were following broad directives — not a direct order from Hitler. This tape destroys that narrative.” The recordings address the long-disputed origins of the “Holocaust by bullets” — the early stage of the genocide where mass shootings replaced gas chambers — and clarify the chilling chain of command. Though much of the Holocaust’s horror has long been documented, this cache of firsthand, unfiltered testimony sheds new light on the psychological toll, the inner workings of SS command, and the deliberate misrepresentation of responsibility by Nazi officers during post-war trials. The evidence now made public represents what historians are calling one of the most important archival releases of the last decade, and a sobering reminder that even decades later, the full truth of the Holocaust is still coming to light. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
In recent days, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir reportedly cautioned government ministers that a large-scale ground offensive in Gaza could endanger the lives of the hostages still held by Hamas, according to a Channel 13 report.
“In a plan for a full-scale maneuver, we won’t necessarily reach the hostages,” Zamir said, as quoted by the network. “Keep in mind that we could lose them.”
Zamir also acknowledged that Israel’s two core objectives in the war — eliminating Hamas and recovering the hostages — are not easily compatible. “The war’s two goals of defeating Hamas and rescuing the hostages,” he said, “are problematic in relation to each other.”
Families of those held captive have raised this concern for months, emphasizing that the government must prioritize the hostages’ return. However, leaders including Prime Minister Netanyahu have argued that sustained military pressure will help secure a deal for their release.
Despite Zamir’s sobering assessment, Channel 13 reports that the cabinet was not deterred and that the Israel Defense Forces are expected to escalate their campaign in Gaza in the near future.
In reaction to the broadcast, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a stark statement: “The chief of staff’s warning should keep every Israeli awake at night. An overwhelming majority of the nation is united around the understanding that an Israeli victory cannot be achieved without bringing the hostages home. Losing the hostages would mean an Israeli defeat. National security and social stability depend on the return of all the hostages — every last one.”
{Matzav.com Israel}
Opposition leader Yair Lapid urged Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara on Sunday to immediately crack down on chareidi-run telephone hotlines that he claims are actively encouraging draft dodging. Speaking at a press conference, Lapid said those operating such services “should be treated as criminal offenders.”
When asked by The Times of Israel about a growing number of organizations—including one reportedly connected to Yerushalayim Affairs Minister Meir Porush—that offer guidance to chareidi individuals on how to evade military service, Lapid said that if the Attorney General fails to act, his Yesh Atid party will escalate the matter to the police.
According to Lapid, Yesh Atid MK Vladimir Beliak had already filed a formal inquiry on the issue in February, seeking clarity and enforcement from the Attorney General’s Office. “We expect swift and decisive action from the attorney general and the legal system,” Lapid declared. “Otherwise, Yesh Atid will file a complaint with the police. On the face of it, these are criminal offenses, and the people who commit them should be treated as criminal offenders.”
Following the High Court’s June 2024 ruling mandating the enlistment of chareidi yeshiva students, several chareidi-affiliated initiatives have emerged to help these individuals navigate the new legal landscape. Many of these initiatives, however, have explicitly encouraged non-compliance with IDF orders.
One such hotline operated under the direction of Porush reportedly tells callers to “just ignore” draft notices from the military. Another, operated by the Vaad HaYeshivos, has advised yeshiva students “not report [to the army] under any circumstances.”
Despite repeated calls from activists and legislators to investigate these operations, there has so far been little to no legal action. Under Israeli law, anyone who promotes draft evasion during wartime can face up to 15 years in prison.
Lapid’s comments came just days after Yisrael Beytenu, another opposition party known for its hardline stance on defense, called on the Attorney General to prosecute those who incite against military service. Their demand followed an incident in which radical demonstrators tried to physically block chareidi recruits from entering the IDF induction center at Tel Hashomer.
Speaking at the press conference, Lapid labeled draft evaders as “criminals” and insisted they should not be rewarded by the government. He promised that if his party returns to power, financial benefits would be withheld from anyone refusing to serve.
As the IDF prepares to expand its operations in Gaza, it has already called up tens of thousands of reservists. At the same time, Lapid said, tens of thousands of “young Chareidi men of draft age are currently evading conscription with the active encouragement of the Netanyahu government.”
“Why are they being called again? Because the IDF doesn’t have enough soldiers,” he added. Citing army data, Lapid noted that out of nearly 19,000 chareidi men issued draft notices in the latest conscription cycle, only 232 have actually joined.
“Almost 99 percent of the Chareidim who received an order did not enlist in the IDF. They evade because the government lets them. In the past year, the number of Chareidim who were detained for questioning because they did not report for enlistment was 340. How many of them are currently in custody? As far as we were able to tell, one,” Lapid said. He also accused the government of funneling billions of shekels to support individuals he called “draft dodgers.”
Military officials have said the IDF is currently short about 12,000 troops, including 7,000 combat soldiers. Since last summer, just over 1,800 chareidi men have enlisted—well below the army’s target of 4,800.
“This is the law. The law says that every young man in Israel must enlist, and anyone who doesn’t enlist is a criminal. Anyone who is a criminal shouldn’t receive a reward from the state. I’m announcing [that] the day we form the government, the principle will be simple: anyone who doesn’t enlist, won’t receive a single shekel from the State of Israel.”
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Matzav.com Israel}
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said Saturday that he wants to step down as chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of the year. The revelation came as a surprise because the 94-year-old had previously said he did not plan to retire. Buffett, one of the world’s richest people and most accomplished investors, took control of Berkshire Hathaway in 1965 when it was a textiles manufacturer. He turned the company into a conglomerate by finding other businesses and stocks to buy that were selling for less than they were worth. His success made him a Wall Street icon. It also earned him the nickname “Oracle of Omaha,” a reference to the Nebraska city where Buffett was born and chose to live and work. Here are some of his best and worst investments over the years: Buffett’s Best — National Indemnity and National Fire & Marine: Purchased in 1967, the company was one of Buffett’s first insurance investments. Insurance float — the premium money insurers can invest between the time when policies are bought and when claims are made — provided the capital for many of Berkshire’s investments over the years and helped fuel the company’s growth. Berkshire’s insurance division has grown to include Geico, General Reinsurance and several other insurers. The float totaled $173 billion at the end of the first quarter. — Buying blocks of stock in American Express, Coca-Cola Co. and Bank of America at times when the companies were out of favor because of scandals or market conditions. Collectively, the shares are worth over $100 billion more than what Buffett paid for them, and that doesn’t count all the dividends he has collected over the years. — Apple: Buffett long said that he didn’t understand tech companies well enough to value them and pick the long-term winners, but he started buying Apple shares in 2016. He later explained that he bought more than $31 billion worth because he understood the iPhone maker as a consumer products company with extremely loyal customers. The value of his investment grew to more than $174 billion before Buffett started selling Berkshire Hathaway’s shares. — BYD: On the advice of his late investing partner Charlie Munger, Buffett bet big on the genius of BYD founder Wang Chanfu in 2008 with a $232 million investment in the Chinese electric vehicle maker. The value of that stake soared to more than $9 billion before Buffett began selling it off. Berkshire’s remaining stake is still worth about $1.8 billion. — See’s Candy: Buffett repeatedly pointed to his 1972 purchase as a turning point in his career. Buffett said Munger persuaded him that it made sense to buy great businesses at good prices as long as they had enduring competitive advantages. Previously, Buffett had primarily invested in companies of any quality as long as they were selling for less than he thought they were worth. Berkshire paid $25 million for See’s and recorded pretax earnings of $1.65 billion from the candy company through 2011. The amount continued to grow but Buffett didn’t routinely highlight it. — Berkshire Hathaway Energy: Utilities provide a large and steady stream of profits for Berkshire. The conglomerate paid $2.1 billion, or about $35.05 per share, for Des Moines-based MidAmerican Energy in 2000. The utility unit subsequently was renamed and made several […]
President Donald Trump stated in a newly aired interview that the goal of his administration’s current negotiations with Iran is the “total dismantlement” of its nuclear infrastructure. However, he added that he would be open to permitting Iran to maintain a civilian nuclear energy program.
The interview, which took place on Friday and was broadcast Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, spanned numerous topics, including Trump’s early priorities during his second term in office.
NBC host Kristen Welker asked the president directly if he would only accept “total dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program” as part of the negotiations.
“Total dismantlement. Yes, that is all I would accept,” Trump answered.
He acknowledged growing speculation that Iran might be permitted to keep nuclear facilities for generating electricity. “Now there is a new theory out there that Iran would be allowed to have civilian [nuclear facilities], meaning to make electricity,” he said.
Trump went on to question the necessity of such a program, noting, “I mean, they have so much oil that I am not sure why they would need it.” Still, he pointed out that many oil-producing countries also operate nuclear energy systems.
“I think that I would be open to hearing it, you know?” Trump remarked when asked whether he would consider allowing Iran to develop nuclear energy for civilian use.
He continued, “Civilian energy, it’s called. But you know, civilian energy often leads to military wars. And we don’t want to have them to have a nuclear weapon. It’s a very simple deal.”
“The only thing they can’t have is a nuclear weapon,” he emphasized. “Because the world will be destroyed.”
Trump’s remarks come after a wave of clarifications from members of his administration regarding the U.S. stance in the nuclear discussions. Steve Witkoff, the administration’s special envoy to the talks, previously said the U.S. was aiming for a deal that would limit Iran’s nuclear activities rather than dismantle them completely. He later clarified that any agreement must “stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program.”
Echoing those concerns, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a Fox News interview last Thursday that Iran must “walk away” from uranium enrichment. He added, “The only countries in the world that enrich uranium are the ones that have nuclear weapons.”
Iran’s enrichment of uranium to 60 percent has drawn global scrutiny, as it exceeds the 3.67 percent threshold agreed upon in the 2015 nuclear accord. That level is only a small step from the 90 percent purity required for weapons-grade material, keeping international watchdogs on edge.
Western nations have long accused Tehran of secretly pursuing nuclear arms, though Iranian officials continue to claim that their nuclear program is designed solely for peaceful, civilian purposes.
In recent months, Iran has accelerated its uranium enrichment to 60 percent — a level widely regarded as having no peaceful utility — while also denying international inspectors meaningful access to its nuclear sites.
Talks between the United States and Iran have been ongoing since April 12, marking the most significant diplomatic engagement between the two countries since the U.S. withdrew from the 2015 agreement in 2018 during Donald Trump’s first term.
Israel has reportedly expressed alarm that the Biden administration is close to finalizing what it sees as a “bad deal” with Iran. Israeli officials are said to believe that the negotiations have progressed “very, very advanced,” and that Washington has failed to adequately share details with Jerusalem on critical elements of the discussions.
WATCH:
{Matzav.com}
Record-breaking rains drenched southern Israel from Eilat to Ein Gedi, with rare downpours including 17.6mm in just 5 minutes at Nachal Arugot, marking the most intense rain event in the region since 1987.
In a blistering interview Friday night, Vice President JD Vance unloaded on Democrats, dismissing them as rudderless, reactionary, and entirely defined by their obsession with opposing President Donald Trump. His sharpest rebuke? That Trump himself is now effectively leading the Democratic Party. Speaking with Fox News anchor Bret Baier on Special Report, Vance skewered the opposition’s lack of vision and mocked growing speculation that far-left firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could make a play for the White House in 2028. “President AOC — the stuff of nightmares,” Vance said dryly, before quipping that Baier had “ruined [his] sleep for the evening” just by floating the possibility. Vance wasn’t just offering humor. His comments came in response to the recent “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, which has seen Ocasio-Cortez team up with democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders to bash Trump and the GOP across the country. Their coordinated blitz — amplified by AOC’s aggressive social media presence — has fueled talk of a potential presidential run. Instead of elevating Ocasio-Cortez, Vance said, the tour revealed what he sees as the party’s core problem: they stand for nothing but being anti-Trump. “To the extent the Democrats have a leader, Donald J. Trump is the leader of the Democratic Party,” Vance said. “Because they’re just against everything he does. Any time Donald Trump does anything, they have this emotional response — they have to be against it.” Vance further slammed Democrats as lacking any real governing ideas. “They don’t have real leadership,” he continued. “That’s why I’m not too concerned about 2028. If I wake up in a fantasy world where the Democrats actually have constructive ideas, great. But in the world we actually live in — where they’re just anti-Trump — the politics of 2028 will take care of themselves.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
PHOTOS: A delegation of Knesset members and elected officials from villages across Eretz Yisroel visited New Square on Sunday, including stops at the Skvere Rebbe Shlita, Refuah Health Center, and the Village of New Square. Monsey Scoop will publish a full article and additional photos at a later time.
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