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Israeli military police carried out a series of overnight operations in Dimona and Bat Yam in an effort to arrest yeshiva bochurim classified as draft evaders, but were forced to withdraw without making any arrests after protesters rushed to the targeted locations in response to emergency alerts.

The attempted arrests, which unfolded between Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, triggered confrontations between demonstrators and security personnel, with crowds gathering outside the homes of the wanted bochurim. Following the departure of the military police, protesters celebrated by dancing in the streets.

The operations came amid an intensifying campaign of arrests targeting yeshiva bochurim who have not reported for military service, and just hours before major demonstrations organized by the Peleg Yerushalmi were scheduled to take place in Yerushalayim and the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.

The first reported operation took place in Dimona at approximately 1 a.m., when military police arrived at a residence on Netiv HaLamed-Heh Street in an attempt to apprehend a yeshiva bochur. The operation was unsuccessful, and officers subsequently proceeded to another address on Molada Street.

At the second location, authorities sought to arrest two brothers from a Sephardic family, both of whom are yeshiva students. Their arrival prompted the activation of the “Black Color” emergency alert system, which is used to notify activists and community members when military police attempt to arrest yeshiva bochurim.

Dozens of Gerrer chassidim responded to the alert and hurried to the scene, gathering around the residence and preventing the officers from carrying out the arrests. The military police ultimately departed without taking either brother into custody.

After the officers withdrew, those gathered at the location broke into dancing, celebrating the unsuccessful arrest operation.

The overnight operations continued in Bat Yam, where military police arrived at approximately 4:30 a.m. at the home of a bochur studying in Yeshivas HaMeyasher, headed by the mekubal Rav Benayahu Shmueli.

According to reports, this was the third time authorities had attempted to arrest the same bochur. As in Dimona, the Black Color alert system was activated, bringing dozens of protesters to the scene before officers could complete the arrest.

Confrontations developed between demonstrators and the military police, with protesters attempting to prevent the officers from reaching the wanted bochur. The standoff continued for approximately an hour before the military police withdrew without making an arrest.

Following their departure, demonstrators again broke into dancing, celebrating what they viewed as another successful effort to prevent the detention of a yeshiva student.

The unsuccessful operations came amid a growing wave of arrests that has already resulted in several yeshiva bochurim being sentenced to military imprisonment.

On Wednesday, Eliyahu Davda, a talmid of Yeshivas Orchos Meir in Yerushalayim, was arrested by military police at his home in Be’er Sheva.

Following his arrest, Davda was initially transferred to a military detention facility in the IDF’s training base complex in southern Israel. He was subsequently moved to Military Prison 10, where he was tried and sentenced to 20 days of military confinement.

Another bochur, a talmid of Yeshivas Chevron Knesses Yisroel who was arrested Tuesday in Eilat, was also tried Wednesday and sentenced to 20 days in military prison.

Attorneys working with organizations that assist arrested yeshiva students are seeking to shorten the prison terms imposed on both bochurim.

The arrests have intensified tensions within the chareidi community as military authorities continue efforts to enforce draft requirements against yeshiva students who have not reported for service.

The latest developments have also prompted renewed protests and criticism of the chareidi political establishment, with activists demanding stronger action to protect yeshiva students from detention.

Against that backdrop, Rav Azriel Auerbach, leader of the Peleg Yerushalmi, instructed his followers Wednesday to organize major demonstrations on Thursday afternoon in response to the recent arrests.

The protests are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. in Yerushalayim and the Gush Dan region, with organizers expecting substantial participation and significant traffic disruptions.

In a statement announcing the demonstrations, the Committee to Save the Torah World accused military authorities of arresting yeshiva students and kollel yungeleit because of their commitment to Torah learning.

The committee declared that the demonstrations were being organized in protest against the arrests and what it described as the failure of the established chareidi leadership to defend those being detained.

According to the statement, Rav Auerbach instructed the public to take part in large-scale demonstrations to protest the mistreatment of Torah learners.

The committee further reported that Rav Auerbach had sharply criticized those who previously promised to stand with yeshiva students but, in his view, had failed to do so as arrests intensified.

He also expressed outrage over the imprisonment of yeshiva bochurim and avreichim, describing the situation as a serious affront to kavod haTorah.

Followers of Rav Tzvi Friedman have likewise been instructed to participate in Thursday’s demonstrations, broadening the expected turnout.

Organizers anticipate that the protests will be among the largest held in recent months over the draft controversy, with major roads in Yerushalayim and central Israel potentially affected.

The planned demonstrations follow additional incidents earlier this week in which crowds were summoned to interfere with military police operations, including an attempted arrest near Kiryat Gat that was reportedly abandoned after demonstrators blocked a roadway.

{Matzav.com}

Federal authorities have thwarted an alleged ISIS-inspired terrorist plot targeting the Mall of America in Minnesota, arresting an 18-year-old Somali-American man who investigators say intended to murder dozens of shoppers at the massive retail complex because he believed it was Jewish-owned.

Federal authorities identified the suspect as Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, an American-born U.S. citizen of Somali descent who lives in Richfield, Minnesota. He was arrested Tuesday, October 6, after allegedly purchasing an AK-47-style rifle and ammunition from an undercover FBI agent posing as an ISIS operative.

According to a federal criminal complaint, Mohamud had planned to carry out the attack on October 24 and discussed killing as many as 60 people. Investigators say he specifically identified Jews as targets and referred approvingly to an antisemitic attack in Australia.

The intended target, Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, is the largest shopping mall in the United States, attracting millions of visitors annually. The suspect’s belief that the property was Jewish-owned reportedly played a central role in his decision to target it, although that belief does not establish the mall’s actual ownership.

The arrest came after months of communications in which Mohamud allegedly discussed his desire to join terrorist organizations abroad before ultimately deciding to carry out an attack inside the United States.

Mohamud was taken into custody in a public park in Richfield, several miles from the shopping center, after handing an undercover agent approximately $600 for the weapon, four 30-round magazines and ammunition.

The FBI had rendered the rifle inoperable before the transaction, ensuring that it could not be used to carry out the planned attack. Investigators said Mohamud reaffirmed his intention to shoot people at the mall while completing the purchase.

According to the criminal complaint, Mohamud had communicated extensively with an FBI confidential source through TikTok, Signal and other messaging platforms, exchanging hundreds of messages about extremist ideology, weapons and possible terrorist attacks.

The investigation began in December 2024, when Mohamud expressed interest in traveling to Somalia to join al-Shabaab, the terrorist organization affiliated with al-Qaeda. He subsequently expressed support for ISIS and discussed traveling abroad to fight for the organization.

When he concluded that he lacked the money needed to travel overseas, investigators say he began focusing on carrying out a terrorist attack in Minnesota.

By July 2026, Mohamud had identified the Mall of America as his preferred target. In messages cited in the complaint, he claimed that the shopping center belonged to Jews and said that killing large numbers of visitors would frighten others away from the property.

“If I kill even 30 people, no one will go there anymore,” he allegedly wrote.

His messages also revealed a specifically antisemitic motivation. Referring to the deadly terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Australia, he allegedly declared, “I want to hurt a Jew, just as the brothers at Bondi Beach in Australia hurt Jews.”

In another exchange, Mohamud discussed using a rifle rather than an explosive device, which he considered too complicated to prepare.

“I’ll just take an assault rifle. An explosive device is too complicated. I’ll kill maybe 30–60 people, inshallah, and I’ll have 260 rounds,” he allegedly wrote.

Investigators say the teenager also expressed admiration for the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando and the ISIS-inspired vehicle attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day 2025, which killed 14 people.

The FBI’s investigation found that Mohamud wanted to carry out a similar mass-casualty attack in the name of ISIS. During the investigation, he sent extremist propaganda to the confidential source and recorded a video pledging allegiance to the terrorist organization.

By August and September, prosecutors allege, his preparations had become increasingly specific. He discussed purchasing firearms, obtaining ammunition and recruiting others to participate in the attack.

The date he selected, October 24, coincided with a scheduled Hmong Arts Celebration at the Mall of America. The event was expected to bring additional visitors to the already busy shopping center.

According to the complaint, Mohamud specifically mentioned the gathering and expressed his intention to kill non-Muslims attending the event. He used the term “kuffar,” a derogatory designation used by some extremists for nonbelievers, when discussing potential victims.

When the FBI source questioned whether he was serious about carrying out the attack, Mohamud allegedly responded, “yes i am 100% sure.”

He added, “I would have backed out by now if I wasn’t sure.”

Authorities said the messages demonstrated that the suspect had progressed beyond expressing extremist sympathies and was actively preparing to carry out an attack.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force continued monitoring his activities and eventually arranged the undercover weapons transaction that led to his arrest.

During the October 6 meeting, an FBI employee posing as an ISIS member provided Mohamud with the disabled AK-47 rifle, magazines and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition. Agents arrested him shortly afterward.

Federal officials announced the arrest Wednesday, describing the operation as a successful intervention against an imminent terrorist threat.

U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen, who leads the federal prosecutor’s office in Minnesota, said the investigation had prevented what could have been a devastating attack on innocent civilians.

“This was a radicalized young man who needed to be watched,” Rosen said.

He credited the FBI with identifying the danger and intervening before the suspect could carry out his alleged plans to kill dozens of people.

Rosen also disclosed that federal agents had previously attempted to warn the suspect’s family about concerns over his radicalization.

According to the complaint, FBI agents visited Mohamud’s home in May 2025, more than a year before his arrest, after becoming concerned about his extremist communications.

His mother told agents that he had not yet returned home from school and contacted his father. The father declined to speak with investigators and said he would forward their contact information to his attorney.

Rosen used Wednesday’s announcement to emphasize the importance of families taking warnings about possible radicalization seriously.

“What I would say to parents all over Minnesota, and all over America: If you get any indication — especially if you hear from federal law enforcement — that your son or daughter is being radicalized, to the point where federal law enforcement wants to come and give you that warning, those are warnings that ought to be heeded,” he said.

FBI Director Kash Patel praised the agents responsible for the operation, saying their work had prevented a potential massacre.

“This individual allegedly obtained a weapon he hoped to use in a mass casualty attack in support of ISIS, but this FBI arrested him and put a stop to his plans,” Patel said.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said the alleged plot demonstrated the continuing danger posed by individuals inspired by ISIS propaganda and previous terrorist attacks.

“Mohamud allegedly sought to carry out a mass-casualty shooting at the Mall of America, expressing a desire to emulate some of the most horrific ISIS-inspired attacks in the United States, including the atrocities at Pulse Nightclub and 2025 New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans,” Eisenberg said.

The Mall of America, located in Bloomington, is the largest shopping mall in the United States. Its enormous size, heavy pedestrian traffic and frequent public events made it an attractive target for someone seeking to inflict mass casualties, according to investigators.

The alleged antisemitic motivation is particularly significant because Mohamud reportedly believed the mall was owned by Jews. Authorities have not established that this belief was accurate, and the complaint describes it as the suspect’s own perception.

Federal prosecutors charged Mohamud with one count of knowingly receiving a firearm and ammunition for the purpose of committing a federal crime of terrorism.

He appeared Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright in federal court in St. Paul, wearing a yellow jail uniform. During the proceeding, he told the judge that he was unemployed, did not own a home or vehicle and had no money in the bank.

Mohamud was represented by federal public defender Siri Carlson McDowell. Neither his attorney nor relatives who attended the hearing offered public comments about the allegations.

He remains in federal custody, with a detention hearing scheduled for October 19.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Bloomington Police Department, with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation. Federal prosecutors from the Justice Department’s National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota are handling the case.

The allegations against Mohamud have not yet been proven in court, and he is presumed innocent unless convicted.

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed refused to say whether he considers Israel or Iran a greater threat to the United States during a television interview released Wednesday, dismissing the question as “a dumb question” while accusing Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of helping push America into war with Iran.

The exchange took place during an interview with NewsNation host Leland Vittert, portions of which were made public Wednesday. El-Sayed, who is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Gary Peters, repeatedly shifted the discussion toward diplomacy, American military spending and the economic consequences of the ongoing conflict with Iran rather than directly comparing the threats posed by the two countries.

Vittert raised the issue after referencing an interview with one of El-Sayed’s supporters who had suggested that Israel posed a greater danger to American interests than Iran. The host asked whether the Democratic candidate shared that assessment.

Vittert asked, “One of your supporters we interviewed seemed to think that Iran was a bigger threat — Israel — seemed to think Israel was a bigger threat than Iran to the United States. Do you agree?”

Rather than provide a direct answer, El-Sayed argued that the United States should prioritize diplomatic solutions to international disputes. He then turned his attention to Netanyahu, alleging that the Israeli leader had played a significant role in persuading Washington to enter the conflict with Iran.

El-Sayed responded, “Well, look, at the end of the day, our job is to address our issues diplomatically. But, right now, we are in the war in Iran, in part, because of the advocacy of the Israeli prime minister. There’s no disagreement on that. He came to the Situation Room and advocated for the war. And we’re now paying, what? $1,600 for it. Our gas, our groceries are unaffordable. And that’s on top of the billions in tax dollars that we spend sending our money over there. Now, how we think about a threat, that’s –.”

The candidate’s comments reflected his broader criticism of American military involvement in the Middle East and U.S. financial assistance to Israel. Throughout his Senate campaign, El-Sayed has argued that Washington should redirect resources away from overseas military commitments and toward domestic priorities, including healthcare, infrastructure and reducing the cost of living.

His assertion that Netanyahu advocated for the war also placed responsibility on Israel’s leadership for influencing American decision-making. The United States and Israel have conducted military operations against Iran amid concerns about Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, missile capabilities and regional military activities. El-Sayed has consistently opposed the conflict, questioning its strategic justification and economic consequences.

As El-Sayed continued discussing the financial costs of the war, Vittert interrupted and attempted to bring the conversation back to the original question about national security threats.

Vittert pressed, “You’re going to be a senator, what do you view as the biggest threat?”

El-Sayed again declined to identify either Iran or Israel as the greater danger, instead outlining his opposition to American funding for foreign military operations and his belief that international law should be applied consistently to all countries.

El-Sayed responded, “I’ve been more than extremely clear about this. I don’t want our tax dollars being used to subsidize war abroad. I don’t want our tax dollars being used to fund, unconditionally, foreign militaries. I think it’s important that we be the first among equals to enforce international law against any and every country that breaks it. So, this sort of, like, hypothetical, who’s a bigger threat is a dumb question.”

The Democratic nominee maintained that the more important issue was determining the foreign policy the United States should pursue, rather than ranking countries according to the threats they might pose.

El-Sayed added that “the big question is…what is the public policy we really want?”

The interview comes during a closely watched Senate contest in Michigan, where El-Sayed is facing Republican nominee Mike Rogers, a former congressman and former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. The race has attracted national attention because of its potential implications for control of the Senate and the sharp differences between the candidates on foreign policy, economic issues and President Trump’s administration.

El-Sayed, a physician and former Detroit health director, secured the Democratic nomination after defeating Rep. Haley Stevens in a competitive primary. His campaign has received support from prominent progressive figures, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and has emphasized opposition to overseas wars and unconditional American military assistance to Israel.

The candidate has made the war with Iran a central campaign issue, arguing that military expenditures abroad have contributed to financial pressure on American households. He has repeatedly connected the conflict to rising energy costs and broader concerns about affordability, an issue that has featured prominently in Michigan’s Senate campaign.

In a separate interview with Fox News earlier this week, El-Sayed clashed with host Martha MacCallum over the justification for military operations against Iran. He questioned whether the conflict had improved American security and argued that diplomatic alternatives should have been pursued. MacCallum challenged his assessment by pointing to Iran’s nuclear activities and longstanding security threats in the region.

El-Sayed has also criticized American policy toward Israel during the war in Gaza, arguing that Washington should condition military assistance on compliance with international law. His positions have generated debate among Michigan voters, particularly within Jewish and Arab American communities that hold sharply differing views on Israel and American involvement in the Middle East.

His campaign has faced additional scrutiny over his association with left-wing political commentator Hasan Piker, who has drawn criticism for past statements about terrorism and the October 7 Hamas massacre. El-Sayed campaigned with Piker during the Democratic primary, but recent reporting indicates that he privately urged the commentator to moderate his public rhetoric as the general election approached.

During a September appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” El-Sayed was questioned about concerns among Jewish voters regarding his relationship with Piker. He rejected the focus on the commentator and argued that voters were more interested in economic issues, healthcare and the consequences of American foreign policy.

The controversy has become part of a broader debate surrounding El-Sayed’s candidacy, with critics questioning his approach to Israel and antisemitism while supporters argue that his positions reflect opposition to military intervention and a desire to prioritize domestic spending.

The Michigan Senate race has also seen significant involvement from national Democratic leaders. Former President Barack Obama is scheduled to campaign alongside El-Sayed in Detroit on October 24, an appearance intended to help consolidate Democratic support ahead of the November election. Former Vice President Kamala Harris has also campaigned on his behalf.

Rogers, meanwhile, has recently sought to distinguish his positions from certain Trump administration policies, including the ongoing tariff dispute with Canada and the war with Iran. His campaign has emphasized Michigan’s economic interests and his national security experience, while El-Sayed has accused him of changing positions for political advantage.

The candidates are scheduled to participate in televised debates on October 8 and October 21, providing additional opportunities for voters to examine their positions on foreign policy, the economy and the country’s ongoing military involvement overseas.

El-Sayed’s latest exchange with Vittert places renewed attention on his reluctance to directly compare Israel and Iran as potential threats to American national security. Although he repeatedly emphasized diplomacy and opposition to foreign military spending, he left unanswered the host’s central question about which country he considers the greater danger to the United States.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee accused Hamas on Wednesday of refusing to surrender a single weapon despite agreeing to disarm under President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace initiative, declaring that the terrorist organization has disregarded its commitments while continuing efforts to attack and kidnap Israelis.

Appearing on Fox News Channel’s “The Story,” Huckabee said Hamas was responsible for holding up progress on the American-backed agreement. He argued that Trump had established a viable diplomatic framework through his Board of Peace, but that the terrorist organization had failed to take the steps necessary to implement it.

Huckabee said, “[T]he president has put together a very, very solid plan. He’s established the Board of Peace. This could be moving forward. It could be moving forward progressively. But the only reason that there’s any slowdown is because of Hamas. They agreed that they would disarm. You know how many bullets they’ve given up? None. How many bombs? None. How many rifles, pistols? Zero. They’ve given up nothing.”

The ambassador’s criticism centered on the complete absence of weapons surrendered by Hamas, despite the organization’s participation in negotiations intended to establish a new security arrangement in Gaza. Huckabee maintained that the group’s continued military activities were undermining the very agreement it had accepted.

He continued, “They promised they would. President Trump brought them to the table, and then they have ignored every bit of it. And they continue to fight and try to kill and kidnap Israelis, even while they’re cornered in Gaza. It’s the part of the story that I hope people will fully begin to understand.”

The remarks come as the Trump administration confronts obstacles in implementing the next phase of its Gaza peace plan, nearly one year after the October 2025 ceasefire. Although the initial agreement secured the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners and increased the flow of humanitarian assistance, its provisions concerning Hamas’s disarmament, Israeli troop withdrawals and the establishment of a new governing authority remain unresolved.

On July 30, Trump announced that his Board of Peace had reached what he described as an agreement providing for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed factions in Gaza. The announcement followed negotiations involving American officials and regional mediators seeking to resolve disagreements that had prevented the ceasefire from advancing into its next stage.

Under the proposed arrangement, Hamas would surrender its weapons through a phased process coordinated with Israeli military withdrawals. An international verification mechanism would supervise disarmament, while an International Stabilization Force and a newly trained Palestinian police force would eventually assume responsibility for maintaining security.

The agreement envisioned the transfer of Gaza’s civilian administration to a Palestinian technocratic body operating under international supervision. The new authority would replace Hamas’s governing structure, while the Board of Peace would oversee the broader transition and reconstruction effort.

However, disagreements over the sequence of implementation quickly emerged. Hamas representatives insisted that their obligations were tied to Israeli military withdrawals and other provisions of the agreement. Israeli officials expressed skepticism that Hamas would genuinely surrender its arsenal and maintained that Israeli forces could not withdraw without credible guarantees that the organization would be prevented from rebuilding its military capabilities.

The dispute has persisted despite further diplomatic efforts. Hamas has indicated a willingness to place its weapons under the authority of a proposed Palestinian administration, but has resisted demands for unconditional disarmament. Israel has argued that such proposals do not adequately guarantee the complete dismantling of Hamas’s military infrastructure.

Nearly one year after the ceasefire took effect in October 2025, Israeli forces remain deployed across substantial portions of Gaza. Hamas continues to maintain an armed presence in areas outside Israeli military positions, and the international security force intended to facilitate a transition has yet to become fully operational.

The International Stabilization Force, a central element of Trump’s plan, is intended to assist in maintaining security and training Palestinian police officers. However, the practical challenges of establishing the force and determining its responsibilities have complicated efforts to implement the agreement.

The absence of a fully functioning international force has complicated plans for Israeli withdrawals. Without an effective alternative security structure, Israeli officials have expressed concerns that relinquishing military positions could allow Hamas to reestablish control over additional territory and rebuild its operational capabilities.

The unresolved security questions have also delayed plans to reconstruct Gaza, where extensive destruction has left enormous housing and infrastructure needs. International assessments have estimated that rebuilding the territory could require tens of billions of dollars over the coming years.

The Trump administration’s broader framework links reconstruction to the establishment of a new governing authority and security arrangements intended to prevent armed groups from regaining control. The continuing disagreements over disarmament have complicated those efforts and left significant questions about how reconstruction would be administered.

The stalled process has also affected humanitarian conditions. Although aid deliveries increased following the ceasefire, relief organizations have continued warning that Gaza’s population faces serious shortages and extensive infrastructure damage. Israeli authorities have disputed some assessments of aid availability and have maintained that substantial quantities of supplies have been permitted into the territory.

Meanwhile, violence has continued despite the ceasefire. Israeli forces have carried out operations against targets they identify as Hamas operatives and military infrastructure, accusing the organization of attempting to conduct attacks and rebuild its capabilities. Hamas has disputed Israeli allegations and accused Israel of violating the agreement.

The ambassador’s comments reflect concerns within Israel and the Trump administration about whether a disarmament agreement can succeed without a mechanism capable of ensuring compliance. The central dispute remains whether Hamas will surrender its weapons before Israeli troops withdraw or whether both processes must advance simultaneously.

Huckabee has defended Israel’s right to respond to security threats while the agreement remains unimplemented, arguing that Israel cannot be expected to abandon defensive measures while Hamas retains the weapons and infrastructure used to attack Israeli civilians.

Wednesday’s comments came on the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, when terrorists invaded southern Israel, murdered approximately 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages into Gaza. The anniversary was marked with memorial ceremonies and commemorations honoring the victims.

The anniversary also renewed attention to the security demands underlying Israel’s insistence that Hamas must be disarmed. Israeli leaders have repeatedly maintained that any lasting settlement must prevent the organization from carrying out another attack resembling the October 7 massacre.

Flydubai is facing serious questions about its pilot recruitment practices following revelations that the 29-year-old Omani copilot accused of attempting to crash a passenger jet bound for Israel had joined the airline only eight months earlier, after reportedly failing to secure positions with two other carriers.

The copilot, identified as Hammam al-Hammami, allegedly attacked the aircraft’s captain with an axe during the flight to Ben Gurion Airport in an attempt to bring down the Boeing passenger jet. The incident has prompted scrutiny of how the airline evaluates prospective pilots, particularly as it has expanded its operations and workforce at a rapid pace.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, al-Hammami was hired by Flydubai in February 2026 after unsuccessful attempts to obtain employment with airlines in Oman and Morocco. The circumstances surrounding those earlier applications, including why he was not hired, have raised additional questions about the screening procedures used before he was accepted by the Dubai-based carrier.

The attempted attack has become one of the most serious crises in Flydubai’s history, threatening passenger confidence in an airline that has developed into a major international carrier and an especially important aviation connection between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

The incident has also drawn attention to the airline’s extraordinary growth in recent years. Since the coronavirus pandemic, Flydubai has nearly doubled its workforce, expanding from 3,682 employees at the end of 2021 to 6,763 by the conclusion of 2025.

Its pilot roster has undergone an even more dramatic transformation over the past decade. The company currently employs approximately 1,500 pilots, compared with just 658 ten years earlier, reflecting its aggressive expansion into new markets and the increasing size of its fleet.

To support that growth, Flydubai lowered the minimum flight-hour requirements for junior pilots earlier this year, according to the report. The company has also offered substantial compensation packages to attract experienced personnel, with captains eligible for monthly pay exceeding $18,000.

The recruitment changes have come under renewed examination following the attempted attack, with aviation industry observers questioning whether the pressure to expand quickly may have affected the airline’s ability to adequately evaluate prospective employees.

Although lowering minimum flight-hour requirements does not necessarily indicate that safety standards have been compromised, the revelations have intensified scrutiny of the airline’s hiring procedures and the background checks conducted on pilots entrusted with passenger aircraft.

The latest disclosures suggest that al-Hammami’s employment history contained warning signs more serious than unsuccessful job applications. At Oman Air, where he had previously worked, he was reportedly removed from flying duties in 2024 because of concerns about extremist views. He was subsequently assigned to a desk position before leaving the airline.

Al-Hammami also underwent a three-month theoretical training program with Royal Air Maroc in 2025 but was not selected for employment afterward. It remains unclear precisely what information about his earlier employment was available to Flydubai when it reviewed his application.

Even more troubling, investigators have reportedly learned that al-Hammami deliberately sought employment with an airline operating flights to Israel. According to accounts attributed to officials familiar with the investigation, he had considered carrying out an attack months before the September 30 incident and had specifically sought assignment to the Dubai-Tel Aviv route.

The attempted attack occurred aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which departed Dubai for Ben Gurion Airport on September 30. During the flight, al-Hammami allegedly seized an emergency axe kept inside the cockpit and repeatedly struck the captain, identified as Indian national Smit Machchhar.

The assault caused the aircraft to enter a dangerous descent, creating a potentially catastrophic situation for the passengers and crew. Despite his injuries, the captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing others aboard the aircraft to intervene and help regain control.

The Boeing 737 subsequently made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Passengers escaped without serious injuries, although the captain required medical treatment. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have characterized the incident as an attempted terrorist attack and launched a criminal investigation.

The incident occurred on one of Flydubai’s most strategically significant routes. Since the normalization of diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates in 2020, the carrier has become a vital connection between the two countries, providing frequent service between Dubai and Ben Gurion Airport.

Flydubai maintained its Israel operations even during periods when many international airlines suspended flights because of security concerns. Following the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre and the subsequent war, the company continued operating services to Israel and eventually expanded its schedule to as many as ten daily flights.

In 2025, Flydubai transported more than 800,000 passengers through Ben Gurion Airport, representing an increase of 71 percent over the previous year. Its expanding operations contributed to the United Arab Emirates becoming one of the most popular international destinations for Israeli travelers.

Approximately 1.5 million passengers traveled from Ben Gurion Airport to the UAE during 2025, making the Emirates Israel’s third-largest international destination after Greece and the United States.

Yoel Guzansky, a senior researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, praised the airline’s decision to maintain its Israeli operations during periods of regional instability.

“Flydubai kept going the whole time, they didn’t stop, and that’s noteworthy,” he said.

That history has made the current crisis especially significant. The attempted attack has disrupted a commercial aviation relationship that had become an important symbol of cooperation between Israel and the UAE following the Abraham Accords.

Flydubai, established in 2008 with backing from the Dubai government, has built its business around an extensive network of destinations, including markets that many Western airlines avoid because of security risks or political instability. Among the destinations it has served are Kabul and Damascus.

The strategy has helped the airline expand rapidly and achieve substantial profitability. Flydubai reported approximately $531 million in profit for 2025, reflecting strong passenger demand and the success of its growing regional and international network.

However, the airline has also experienced serious aviation incidents in the past. In 2015, one of its aircraft was struck by gunfire while landing in Baghdad. The following year, a Flydubai passenger jet crashed in Russia, killing all 62 people aboard. Investigators attributed that disaster to errors made by the flight crew.

The latest incident differs fundamentally from those earlier events because investigators believe the aircraft was deliberately endangered by one of the pilots entrusted with operating it. That distinction has placed the airline’s employee screening procedures, internal security systems and coordination with foreign aviation authorities under particularly intense scrutiny.

Israeli officials have questioned how an Omani national who had reportedly been removed from flying duties over ideological concerns was subsequently permitted to operate flights to Israel. Oman does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Israel, making the assignment an additional focus of the investigation.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has ordered a comprehensive review of security procedures governing foreign airlines operating flights to Israel. The examination is intended to determine whether existing screening arrangements adequately protect against threats involving flight crew members.

Israel’s Transportation Ministry has also introduced additional screening procedures for foreign airline personnel. Flydubai has sought permission to resume its Tel Aviv operations, but Transportation Minister Miri Regev has reportedly withheld approval while security concerns remain unresolved.

The airline has indicated that its internal investigation is nearing completion and that several employees have already been dismissed. Israeli transportation officials have also been invited to Dubai for discussions about the security measures necessary to restore service.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has launched a separate aviation safety investigation into the incident, with participation from American and Emirati authorities. The inquiry will examine the circumstances surrounding the aircraft’s sudden descent and emergency landing, while the UAE continues its criminal investigation into the alleged attack.

The investigations are expected to examine whether information about al-Hammami’s previous employment and reported extremist views should have prevented his hiring, and whether the airline’s rapid expansion contributed to weaknesses in its recruitment and screening processes.

A Flydubai spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that the company is cooperating with investigators and emphasized that the safety and well-being of its passengers, crew members and operations remain its highest priority.

Jeff Bezos is predicting that artificial intelligence could eventually transform the American workweek, allowing some people to work just three days a week while earning enough to support their families — part of what the Amazon founder describes as a coming era of dramatically increased productivity and abundance.

Bezos laid out his vision during an interview with Fox News anchor Bret Baier at Blue Origin’s massive manufacturing facility in Cape Canaveral, Florida, where he discussed artificial intelligence, the future of work, the U.S.-China space race and his plans to establish a permanent human presence on the moon.

The billionaire entrepreneur argued that fears about AI eliminating jobs overlook the enormous increases in productivity that he expects the technology to generate. Rather than simply putting people out of work, Bezos said AI could eventually allow Americans to maintain or improve their standard of living while spending considerably less time working.

“Some people will also decide, you know what? I can support my family by working three days a week,” Bezos said.

He suggested that AI-driven productivity could also reverse one of the major economic changes of recent generations by making it possible for more households to live comfortably on a single income.

“I think we’re going to see a return to one-income families,” Bezos said. “People will be able to support a family on one income.”

Bezos described AI as part of a much larger historical pattern in which technological breakthroughs increase the amount society can produce and ultimately raise living standards. He rejected the idea that technological advancement inevitably leaves ordinary people worse off, arguing instead that major inventions have repeatedly expanded what he calls “civilizational abundance.”

His prediction comes amid an intense debate over what increasingly powerful AI systems will mean for American workers. Some technology executives and economists have warned that automation could eliminate or fundamentally reshape large numbers of jobs, particularly in white-collar professions. Others argue that the productivity gains could shorten working hours without reducing living standards.

Bezos is not alone in predicting a shorter workweek. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has said he expects workers in developed countries could eventually work approximately three and a half days per week as AI and other technologies increase productivity. Nobel Prize-winning economist Christopher Pissarides has similarly argued that generative AI could make the four-day workweek increasingly practical.

Others are more skeptical. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently questioned whether technological advancement will actually cause people to work substantially less, noting that previous waves of innovation repeatedly promised shorter workweeks without eliminating humanity’s tendency to remain busy.

Bezos said one of the most important developments will be AI systems capable of performing sophisticated engineering work. He predicted the arrival of what he described as an “artificial general engineer,” which could dramatically lower the barriers to creating new products and companies.

Under that scenario, Bezos said, a person with a good idea would no longer necessarily need a large engineering staff or substantial technical expertise to transform it into a functioning product. AI could perform much of the engineering work, potentially allowing far more people to become inventors and entrepreneurs.

Bezos acknowledged that powerful AI creates genuine risks, but argued against imposing sweeping restrictions on the technology itself. He said regulation should concentrate primarily on harmful uses rather than attempting to slow the underlying technology.

The Amazon founder’s predictions about AI formed only one part of a much broader vision he presented for the coming decades. Bezos also said the United States must beat China back to the moon and establish a sustainable American presence there rather than simply repeat the brief lunar missions of the Apollo era.

“We have to beat China to the moon, and I believe we will beat China to the moon,” Bezos said.

He expressed confidence that Americans could return to the lunar surface by 2028.

“We have to be able to land cargo routinely on the moon to support a lunar base on the moon,” Bezos said. “So there’s a lot of work to be done, but there’s every reason to believe that we can put humans on the moon in 2028.”

Bezos said Mars remains an important long-term destination, but argued that bypassing the moon would make little sense because Earth’s closest celestial neighbor offers resources and is vastly easier to reach.

“We’ll go to Mars. We’ll do all the other things. But we need to go to the moon first,” he said.

Among the possibilities Bezos envisions is manufacturing solar cells using lunar material and extracting oxygen on the moon that could eventually be used in rocket propellant. Unlike the Apollo program, which sent astronauts to the lunar surface for relatively short visits, Bezos wants infrastructure capable of supporting a continuing presence.

“It won’t just be a mission and leave,” he said. “It’ll be a real sustainable lunar base.”

His Blue Origin space company is meanwhile preparing to return its New Glenn heavy-lift rocket to flight in December after an explosion during an engine test in May. Bezos said the next mission is expected to carry Blue Ring, a spacecraft designed to move payloads between different orbits and potentially farther into space.

Blue Origin is also dramatically expanding its launch infrastructure. Bezos said the company is constructing three additional launch pads as it seeks to increase its launch cadence from roughly a dozen missions annually to as many as 50.

That, however, is only the beginning of what he has in mind.

“Our goal is to fly every day,” Bezos said. “And then once we’re flying every day, we want to fly every hour. And then once we’re flying every hour, we want to fly every minute.”

Even members of his own company question whether that final ambition is realistic.

“They think I’m crazy,” Bezos said. “But I’ve seen crazy things before come true.”

Bezos also envisions moving some of the infrastructure required for the AI revolution away from Earth. As artificial intelligence creates enormous demand for computing power and electricity, he has proposed eventually placing massive data centers in orbit, where solar energy would be continuously available and some of the environmental and energy constraints facing Earth-based facilities could be reduced.

The idea fits into Bezos’ longstanding view that heavy industry and other resource-intensive activities could gradually migrate into space while Earth becomes increasingly focused on human habitation and less environmentally disruptive economic activity.

Asked about criticism directed at billionaires and wealthy technology executives, Bezos rejected the idea that enormous financial success should itself be viewed negatively.

“Success is not villainy,” Bezos said.

For Bezos, AI and space exploration are ultimately parts of the same optimistic forecast: technology will allow humanity to produce more with fewer constraints, expand economic opportunity and eventually move beyond some of the limitations that currently shape everyday life.

If his prediction about AI proves correct, one of those limitations could be something Americans have taken for granted for generations — the five-day workweek.

{Matzav.com}

The Flydubai co-pilot accused of trying to seize an Israel-bound passenger jet and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport had allegedly planned to carry out essentially the same terrorist attack months earlier, only to abandon the July attempt because someone he cared about was among the crew, according to new details emerging from the investigation.

The disclosure adds another alarming dimension to the case of Hamam al-Hammami, the Omani national accused of attacking the captain of Flydubai Flight FZ1073 with a cockpit emergency ax on September 30 as the Boeing 737 traveled from Dubai toward Tel Aviv. Investigators now believe Hammami had been contemplating an attack on Israel well before the flight on which he ultimately acted.

According to people briefed on the investigation, Hammami has told interrogators that he nearly carried out his plan during an earlier flight in July. Some of those familiar with his account said he changed his mind because of his feelings for a crew member who would have been endangered.

Investigators have also been told that Hammami was motivated by the war in Gaza following the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates, where Hammami remains in custody, have formally characterized the September incident as a terrorist attack.

The emerging evidence suggests that Hammami may have deliberately structured his aviation career around obtaining access to flights bound for Israel. Before joining Flydubai, he reportedly searched for an airline operating routes to Israel. After being hired by the Dubai-based carrier in February, he subsequently sought assignment to the Dubai-Tel Aviv route.

Investigators are examining Hammami’s electronic devices and online history as they attempt to determine when his alleged plans began, whether anyone else knew about them and whether he had connections to extremist individuals or organizations. Authorities in several countries where Hammami lived, studied or trained are now examining his background.

Hammami’s aviation history has emerged as one of the most troubling aspects of the investigation. Before joining Flydubai, he had worked for Oman Air, where he was reportedly barred from flying after authorities became concerned about his extremist views and online activity.

According to information uncovered since the attack, Omani authorities had scrutinized Hammami’s internet habits, placed him in a deradicalization program and moved him away from flying duties to a desk position. Those concerns, however, were apparently not transmitted through channels that would prevent him from obtaining another commercial aviation job abroad.

Hammami also sought work with Royal Air Maroc. The Moroccan carrier has said that he underwent approximately three months of theoretical training with the airline but never flew its aircraft. He was ultimately not hired as a pilot.

His aviation training took him through several Western countries as well. Authorities have been examining his time in Australia and New Zealand, and reporting has also linked him to flight training in Britain. Australian and New Zealand authorities have opened inquiries into his activities and associations during the years he spent in those countries.

Despite the concerns that had surfaced in Oman, Flydubai hired Hammami earlier this year. The airline reportedly conducted a criminal-background check but did not obtain a security assessment from Omani authorities that would have revealed the concerns that had previously resulted in his removal from flying duties.

Flydubai has declined to discuss the specifics of Hammami’s hiring while the investigation remains underway.

The security questions extend beyond Flydubai. Under longstanding Israeli arrangements governing foreign airlines, pilots who are citizens of countries without diplomatic relations with Israel are not supposed to operate flights into the country. Oman does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, meaning Hammami’s nationality alone should have raised an issue before he was assigned to the Tel Aviv route.

Nevertheless, he flew to Israel repeatedly without being stopped. Reports indicate that more than 1,200 crew members from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel have entered the country aboard foreign flights this year, raising broader questions about whether the restriction was being enforced.

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates had also provided Israel with the passenger and crew manifest for Flight FZ1073 before the September 30 flight, including the pilots’ names and nationalities. Hammami was not flagged.

The revelation has triggered a dispute inside Israel over which government body was responsible for identifying the threat. The Shin Bet has said that responsibility for screening information connected to foreign civil aviation rests with the Transportation Ministry, while Transportation Minister Miri Regev has argued that intelligence and security agencies are responsible for identifying terrorism threats and that her ministry was not provided with actionable warnings about Hammami.

Transportation officials have countered that their security division is not an intelligence service and lacks the capability to conduct individual intelligence investigations into every foreign pilot and passenger traveling to Israel.

“The Security Division carries out a security assessment of aviation to Israel with the airline and local authorities. We request a declaration that all pilots have undergone a security background check. We are not an intelligence agency that conducts intelligence background checks. We have 120 airlines flying here. We are not the Shin Bet, and we don’t have people abroad,” Transportation Ministry security official Tamir Uri said.

The dispute has widened amid reports that the Transportation Ministry had previously been given expanded responsibility for foreign-flight security. Questions have also been raised over funding and personnel that were intended to help the ministry handle those duties, with the ministry disputing claims that it had received resources and failed to use them.

The September 30 attack itself came perilously close to catastrophe. Hammami is accused of repeatedly attacking Capt. Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, with the emergency crash ax kept inside the cockpit. During the struggle, the aircraft entered a rapid and steep descent.

Despite suffering serious injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door. Passengers and off-duty Flydubai personnel aboard the aircraft rushed inside and overpowered Hammami before he could regain control.

Another qualified Flydubai pilot traveling on the aircraft then assumed control, and the plane was diverted for an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. There were 182 people aboard the aircraft, including passengers and crew.

Investigators believe Hammami’s intended plan went considerably beyond simply taking control of the aircraft. Israeli reports have said that he intended to eliminate or incapacitate the captain, continue flying normally toward Israel, obtain the necessary clearances to approach Ben Gurion Airport and then deliberately crash the aircraft into the airport or another major target.

The discovery that Hammami allegedly considered carrying out the attack in July suggests that the September assault was not an impulsive act arising during the flight, but part of a plan that may have been developing for months.

The case has also renewed scrutiny of Hammami’s online activity. Investigators have found a history of radical and extremist material associated with accounts linked to him, including violent rhetoric and content involving Islamist extremists. Authorities are examining whether those views developed independently or were influenced by individuals or groups with whom he had contact.

No terrorist organization has claimed responsibility for the attack, and investigators have not publicly established that Hammami was acting on instructions from any organization. Israeli officials have indicated that they currently believe he may have acted alone, while Emirati investigators continue examining whether anyone assisted or encouraged him.

Flydubai has asked Israeli authorities for permission to resume service to Israel following the incident, but Regev has so far declined to approve the request while the investigation and security review continue. The airline has reportedly been conducting its own internal investigation as well.

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has ordered National Security Council head Shmuel Ben-Ezra to appoint an examiner to conduct a comprehensive review of “all security aspects regarding foreign civil aviation to Israel.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that his record of resolving international conflicts and saving lives warrants the Nobel Peace Prize, while predicting that the Norwegian Nobel Committee may nevertheless pass him over when it announces the 2026 winner on Friday.

Trump made the remarks in the Oval Office just two days before the prestigious award is scheduled to be announced in Oslo. The president has repeatedly argued since returning to the White House in January 2025 that his diplomatic record deserves Nobel recognition.

“I don’t know what their decision is going to be,” Trump said of the 2026 award. “They have a reputation for maybe not giving it to people like me.”

Trump pointed in particular to his administration’s involvement in a series of international conflicts, asserting that he has helped settle eight wars since returning to office and that another breakthrough could be approaching.

During an extended discussion of the prize Wednesday, Trump said, “I settled eight wars; another one is coming; I got all the hostages back. I did things that nobody else has ever done.”

Trump insisted that he was describing his record rather than boasting about it.

“I’m not bragging; I’m just telling you the facts. No president probably has settled any wars. I settled eight wars and big ones, big ones, saved millions and millions of lives.”

The president also cited his actions against Iran’s nuclear program as part of the case for recognizing his record, saying that he had helped prevent an even more catastrophic international conflict.

“I did, I settled eight wars. And I’ve stopped maybe the total obliteration of the world because Iran will never have a nuclear weapon and that’s a positive thing, a very positive thing. And other presidents should have done it before me or somebody should have done it.”

Trump has repeatedly taken credit for helping halt or defuse conflicts involving countries including Cambodia and Thailand, India and Pakistan, and other international flashpoints. Leaders of Cambodia, Israel and Pakistan have publicly said that they nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, although the Nobel organization does not confirm or deny individual nominations until 50 years have passed.

Critics dispute the extent to which several of those conflicts can be described as permanently resolved or attribute their resolution primarily to Trump. Fighting has subsequently resumed in some areas, including along the Cambodia-Thailand border and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while Russia’s war against Ukraine remains unresolved despite Trump’s repeated efforts to broker an agreement.

The ongoing conflict with Iran has also complicated the debate over Trump’s candidacy. U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran were followed by months of fighting that have disrupted global energy markets and contributed to higher fuel prices, even as Trump argues that the military campaign prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and ultimately made the world safer.

Trump also returned Wednesday to an unusual chapter in Nobel history involving Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Machado presented her Nobel medal to Trump in January while seeking continued American support for her campaign for political change in Venezuela.

“It is about that time,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “But I was very honored to receive it indirectly last time by the recipient, who said nobody in history deserves it more than President Trump.”

Trump expanded on the episode Wednesday, saying Machado had explicitly told him that she believed he deserved the honor more than she did.

“Well, last time they gave it to a young lady who’s a fabulous person and she said she didn’t deserve it, that I deserved it. And she gave it to me, and I said, wow, what an honor.”

The Nobel Peace Prize itself cannot be transferred to another person, meaning Machado remains the official 2025 laureate despite giving Trump her physical medal.

Trump also contrasted his record with that of President Barack Obama, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, less than nine months after taking office.

“I think it would be a great discredit to them. And I’m not saying that out of scorn; I’m saying that when you settle eight wars and nobody’s ever — I’ll bet you, if you look at the Nobel Prize, look, Obama got it and he didn’t do anything, he still doesn’t know what he got it for. He got it when he got elected right at the beginning, and he had no idea why he got it.”

The 2026 competition includes 287 candidates. Under Nobel rules, the identities of nominees are officially kept secret for 50 years, although nominators themselves are permitted to disclose whom they submitted for consideration.

The five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee makes the final selection. The committee is appointed by Norway’s parliament but operates independently in choosing the laureate.

Outside experts have floated a wide range of possible recipients this year, including Pope Leo, the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, humanitarian organizations operating in war zones and Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the Palestinian territories. The International Space Station has also been discussed by some observers as a possible institutional choice representing international cooperation.

The committee has offered no indication that any of those candidates — or Trump — will be selected. Nobel officials have emphasized that a nomination by itself does not represent an endorsement by the committee.

The president acknowledged that the decision is beyond his control, but made clear that he believes his record already exceeds that of previous recipients.

“So, I don’t know what their decision is going to be. They have a reputation for maybe not giving it to people like me. But whether I get it or not, I have done far more.”

The Norwegian Nobel Committee is scheduled to announce the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize at 11 a.m. local time in Oslo on Friday, October 9.

{Matzav.com}

Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, is accusing Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu of helping draw President Donald Trump and the United States into the war with Iran, arguing that Americans are now paying the price through higher gas and grocery costs.

The accusation, made during an interview with NewsNation’s Leland Vittert, has revived the contentious debate over the extent to which Netanyahu influenced Trump’s decision to join Israel in launching the Feb. 28 attack on Iran. The issue comes just weeks before Election Day, with El-Sayed preparing to face Republican Mike Rogers in a closely watched Senate contest.

“We are in the war in Iran in part because of the advocacy of the Israeli prime minister,” El-Sayed said.

El-Sayed went further, pointing specifically to Netanyahu’s direct discussions with Trump and senior administration officials before the military campaign began.

“There’s no disagreement on that. He came to the Situation Room and advocated for the war, and we’re now paying … for it. Our gas, our groceries are unaffordable, and that’s on top of the billions in tax dollars that we spend sending our money over there.”

El-Sayed tied the seven-month conflict directly to the affordability crisis facing American families. Oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted during the war, driving global energy prices sharply higher and placing additional pressure on transportation and consumer costs.

The Democratic candidate said his opposition goes beyond the Iran conflict and reflects his broader objection to American taxpayers financing foreign military operations.

“I have been more than extremely clear about this: I don’t want our tax dollars being used to subsidize war abroad,” El-Sayed said. “I don’t want our tax dollars being used to fund, unconditionally, foreign militaries.”

In another portion of the NewsNation interview, El-Sayed expanded that argument to include U.S. support for Israel.

“We want a world with less war. We want a world where our money is spent to build our schools here rather than to fund war and apartheid and genocide abroad. We want a world where all kids get to live their best, most dignified life.”

“And when you think about our current public policy, whether it’s a war in Iran we shouldn’t be fighting, or it’s subsidizing foreign military, that does not seem to me to be in the best interest of kids, all kids.”

El-Sayed’s claim that Netanyahu helped drive Washington toward war draws on a dispute that has followed the Trump administration since the opening days of the conflict. Netanyahu met with Trump and senior administration officials in the White House Situation Room on Feb. 11 and made an extensive case for military action against Tehran, presenting Iran as vulnerable to a potentially decisive strike.

Additional reporting after the war began described further discussions between Trump and Netanyahu in the days before the attack. In one pivotal Feb. 23 telephone conversation, Netanyahu reportedly provided Trump with intelligence about a gathering of Iran’s senior leadership in Tehran. U.S. intelligence subsequently examined the information as Trump considered whether to authorize the operation.

Administration officials initially made comments that critics interpreted as evidence that Israel’s plans had significantly affected Washington’s timing. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said shortly after hostilities began that the administration already knew Israel intended to act and expected Tehran to retaliate against American forces in the region.

“We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action,” Rubio said, explaining that the administration decided it could not simply wait for Iran to respond against U.S. personnel and facilities.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, after receiving a classified briefing, similarly said Israel was “determined to act with or without the U.S.” The prospect that Israel would strike Iran and Tehran would then retaliate against American forces, Johnson said, presented Trump with a consequential choice.

Those remarks prompted Democrats as well as some conservative critics of the war to accuse Netanyahu of effectively forcing Trump’s hand. The administration strongly rejected that characterization.

Trump himself pushed back on the suggestion that Netanyahu had maneuvered Washington into the conflict.

“I might have forced their hand.”

Rubio also disputed the interpretation of his initial comments, insisting that military action against Tehran “had to happen anyway.” He argued that Israel’s intentions affected the timing and coordination of the operation, rather than determining Trump’s underlying decision to use force.

As controversy over his remarks grew, Rubio complained that portions of what he had said were being selectively presented “to reach a narrative.”

Netanyahu has likewise denied dragging the United States into the conflict, saying Trump “does what he thinks is right for America.”

The disagreement has become more politically significant as the war has stretched beyond seven months. What began with joint American-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 has developed into a prolonged regional confrontation, disrupting energy markets and putting pressure on the Trump administration as Americans face increased fuel costs.

Trump has maintained that his decision was based on American national security interests and the threat posed by Iran, while his administration has pointed to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, missile capabilities and threats against U.S. forces as justification for military action. Critics have questioned the administration’s rationale and demanded a clearer strategy for ending the conflict.

Congress has repeatedly confronted the administration over the war. Lawmakers have advanced several war-powers measures seeking to end or restrict American military operations against Iran, reflecting continued disagreement over both Trump’s authority to wage the campaign and the costs of remaining involved.

El-Sayed’s comments are also consistent with the sharply critical position toward Israel that he has taken throughout the Senate campaign. During the Democratic primary, he accused American foreign policy of being heavily influenced by Israel and AIPAC and referred to Israel as a “rogue state.” He has repeatedly argued that Washington should place conditions on military assistance to foreign governments.

The Michigan Democrat’s latest comments came during a week in which his foreign-policy views were receiving increased national scrutiny. During a separate Fox News appearance, El-Sayed was challenged about previous statements involving terrorism and made clear that he condemns terrorism regardless of the perpetrators or victims.

“The victim is never at fault, and terrorism is wrong no matter who perpetrates the terrorism, who it is perpetrated against. Terrorism is wrong, and we need to root it out,” he said.

El-Sayed’s criticism of Netanyahu and the Iran war is likely to become a major issue when he and Rogers meet Thursday night in Grand Rapids for their first general-election debate. The two are competing for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Gary Peters, with the race drawing national attention because of its potential importance in determining control of the Senate.

{Matzav.com}

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“OUTRAGEOUS”: 9/11 Families Pack NYC Court as Saudi Arabia Fights to Avoid Trial Over Alleged Aid to Hijackers

Nearly 100 relatives of those murdered on Sept. 11, 2001, packed a federal appeals courtroom in lower Manhattan on Wednesday as Saudi Arabia sought to overturn a ruling that could finally force the kingdom to face trial over allegations that its government agents helped support some of the Al Qaeda hijackers.

The emotional hearing before the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unfolded only blocks from Ground Zero, with families who have spent more than two decades pursuing the case watching as lawyers for Saudi Arabia again argued that the kingdom should be shielded from the lawsuit.

“It’s outrageous, after seeing the evidence of the direct link between the Saudi government agents and hijackers, for them to continue denying their culpability,” said Terry Strada, whose husband, Tom, was killed in the attacks.

“We’re hoping to finally see justice,” added Lisa Friedman, whose husband, Andrew, was killed on Sept. 11.

The dispute before the appeals court stems from a major August 2025 ruling by U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels, who rejected Saudi Arabia’s renewed attempt to have the case dismissed. Daniels found that the families had produced “reasonable evidence” concerning the alleged roles of Saudi nationals Omar al-Bayoumi and Fahad al-Thumairy in assisting two of the hijackers, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, after they arrived in the United States.

The ruling did not find Saudi Arabia liable for the attacks. Rather, it rejected the kingdom’s effort to end the case before trial, concluding that the evidence was sufficient for the litigation to move forward. Saudi Arabia appealed that decision, setting up Wednesday’s hearing.

The kingdom has repeatedly and emphatically denied any involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks, maintaining that it neither knew about the plot beforehand nor supported Al Qaeda. Saudi Arabia has also argued that it is protected from the lawsuit by the doctrine of foreign sovereign immunity.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has never supported its enemy, Al Qaeda, against its ally, the United States,” Gregory Rapawy, an attorney representing Saudi Arabia, told the court during the roughly 90-minute hearing.

The families contend that Congress substantially changed the legal landscape in 2016 with passage of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, known as JASTA, which created an exception to sovereign immunity for certain claims involving acts of international terrorism committed on American soil.

Gavin Simpson, an attorney representing the Sept. 11 families, argued that Saudi Arabia had “failed” to establish that it was entitled to be dismissed from the litigation.

When Simpson completed his presentation, several family members sitting in the gallery broke into applause, prompting Circuit Judge William Nardini to intervene.

“Please, this is not a moment for such things,” Nardini told the courtroom.

The long-running litigation, first brought more than two decades ago, focuses heavily on al-Bayoumi, a Saudi national who was living in California before the attacks. The families allege that he was connected to Saudi intelligence and provided critical assistance to al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar, two of the eventual hijackers.

Among other things, al-Bayoumi helped the men find housing in the San Diego area after their arrival in California and assisted them as they settled into the United States. Plaintiffs have also pointed to his contacts with Saudi officials and other evidence they say undermines his longstanding contention that his encounter with the future hijackers was innocent.

More recent evidence has intensified scrutiny of al-Bayoumi. A video recovered by British authorities shows him filming the U.S. Capitol in 1999 while discussing aspects of the building and its surroundings. Lawyers for the families have argued that the footage shows al-Bayoumi “casing” the Capitol, while Saudi Arabia has disputed that characterization and maintained that the video was innocuous.

Investigators also recovered a drawing of an airplane in one of al-Bayoumi’s notebooks, accompanied by mathematical calculations. The families have cited expert analysis they say indicates that the calculations related to the trajectory of an aircraft toward a target. Saudi lawyers have offered a far more benign explanation, arguing that the sketch was connected to al-Bayoumi helping his son with schoolwork.

The FBI has also described al-Bayoumi in declassified material as an operative of Saudi intelligence, while al-Bayoumi has denied being a spy. He is believed to be living in Saudi Arabia.

Thumairy, the other Saudi national at the center of the lower court ruling, served as an imam at the King Fahad Mosque in Culver City, California, and was also employed by the Saudi government. The families allege that he and al-Bayoumi formed part of a network that assisted the hijackers after they reached the United States.

Daniels wrote in his 2025 decision that Saudi Arabia had failed to provide sufficient evidence overcoming the inferences raised by the plaintiffs regarding the two men’s activities. His ruling cleared a major legal hurdle that had kept the case from reaching trial for years.

Fifteen of the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers were Saudi nationals. Saudi Arabia has consistently denied that its government had any role in planning or facilitating the attacks, which killed 2,977 people at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and aboard the four hijacked aircraft.

Outside the courthouse Wednesday, the frustration among families extended beyond Riyadh. Several relatives called on President Trump to become personally involved and pressure Saudi Arabia to address the allegations against it.

“We’re all fed up. And it’s time that the president defended us,” said Aaron Sand, whose father, Eric, was killed when the Twin Towers were attacked.

“President Trump, I love ya, but you are not doing enough,” Sand added. “You have to prioritize the family members who were harmed, who lost loved ones because of this nation that claims to be an ally but is very much proving the opposite.”

Brett Eagleson, president of 9/11 Justice, said families were exhausted by the years they have spent traveling to hearings and fighting to keep the case alive.

“Every single one of us is sick and tired of coming here and having to miss birthdays, anniversaries, special events, being with family, but we have to be in Washington. We have to be in New York City. We have to be fighting the Saudi government, who refuses to accept accountability,” Eagleson said.

“Saudi Arabia has spent years trying to avoid answering for what its own agents did in the lead-up to 9/11,” Eagleson added. “A federal judge has already reviewed the evidence and ruled that this case belongs in an American courtroom. We are asking the Second Circuit to uphold that decision so the families who have waited a quarter of a century can finally have their day in court.”

The families are also continuing to seek government records they believe could shed additional light on Saudi contacts and activities in the period before the attacks. Some relatives have accused the U.S. government of keeping relevant material secret even as the country marked the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 last month.

Victims’ relatives traveled from across the country for Wednesday’s arguments. Among them was Steve Milam, who flew to New York from Dallas. His brother, U.S. Army Major Ron Milam, was killed in the attack on the Pentagon.

“I’m just hoping the judges will see that it is necessary in order to help the families in their healing process that Saudi Arabia be held liable for the tragic loss of our loved ones,” Milam said.

The three-judge panel — Nardini and Circuit Judges Guido Calabresi and Eunice Lee — questioned lawyers for both sides but gave no clear indication of how it would rule. The court is expected to issue its decision in writing at a later date.

{Matzav.com}

A well-known chassidishe photographer has decided to disconnect from WhatsApp and switch to a kosher phone after hearing a powerful message from the Sanzer Rebbe during Hakafos Shniyos.

Photographer Moshe Goldstein said he made the decision after hearing his Rebbe speak about the use of technological devices and the impact they can have on a person’s life and home.

Goldstein explained that the decision was not an easy one, particularly because WhatsApp has become an important part of his livelihood as a professional photographer.

The Sanzer Rebbe promised a happier life to those willing to give up the technological tools he had addressed. The message struck Goldstein deeply enough that he decided to act on it immediately despite the professional inconvenience involved.

“It’s difficult for me,” Goldstein admitted, explaining that WhatsApp is a tool he regularly uses for his parnassah.

Asked how he would now send photographs to members of the media and others who need his work, Goldstein said he intends to return to a simpler method: email.

“You can live calmly with email, and also see that there are children at home,” he said.

Despite the challenges the move may create in his photography work, Goldstein said he is determined to follow through with the decision he made after hearing the Sanzer Rebbe’s words.

{Matzav.com}

Three years after the Oct. 7 massacre, the international activist network behind the Gaza flotilla joined by Greta Thunberg is turning its attention to Yehuda and Shomron, recruiting foreign activists to participate in the upcoming Palestinian olive harvest.

According to Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Ministry, the Global Sumud Flotilla is currently recruiting participants from abroad to travel to Yehuda and Shomron, with the deadline for applications set for Oct. 7.

Those accepted into the program are expected to remain in the area for at least two weeks and undergo training in what organizers describe as “direct action,” along with political and media training.

Participants are also reportedly required to commit to continued political activism after returning to their home countries, indicating that the initiative is intended to extend beyond the olive harvest itself.

The recruitment effort follows the organization’s previous campaigns connected to Gaza, including the flotilla involving Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.

The new initiative is one of several efforts underway to bring international activists to Yehuda and Shomron during the annual olive harvest. Various organizations have promoted programs offering what they describe as a “protective presence” alongside Palestinian farmers.

Israeli officials contend that the campaigns are also being used to develop an international network of activists who can participate in organized political actions and generate media attention surrounding confrontations in the area.

Diaspora Affairs Ministry Director-General Avi Cohen-Scali issued a warning over the recruitment effort, saying Israel would act against foreign activists who arrive as part of organized efforts to provoke confrontations or disturb public order.

“Israel will not serve as a playground for foreign anarchists,” Cohen-Scali said.

He said Israeli authorities would take action against anyone entering the country as part of an organized network whose purpose, in the ministry’s view, is to create provocations and disrupt order.

The olive harvest has repeatedly become a flashpoint in parts of Yehuda and Shomron, with Israeli and international activists accompanying Palestinian farmers in areas near Jewish communities and IDF positions. Israeli security forces are frequently deployed during the season amid concerns about confrontations involving Palestinians, Jewish residents and activists.

{Matzav.com}

Vice President JD Vance marked the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre on Wednesday with a brief message remembering the Jews and Americans murdered in the terrorist assault on Israel and invoking the traditional Jewish expression honoring the deceased.

Vance posted the message on his official X account Wednesday afternoon, three years after Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel, attacking communities, military installations and the Nova music festival.

“Three years ago over 1,000 Jews (including 49 Americans) were brutally murdered in Israel in one of the worst Islamic terrorist attacks of our lives. May their memory be a blessing.”

The message was notably focused exclusively on the victims of the Hamas attack. Vance did not use the anniversary statement to criticize Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza or to address Palestinian casualties.

The vice president’s statement came as Israel and Jewish communities around the world held memorial ceremonies for the victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, assault, in which Hamas-led terrorists murdered approximately 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages into Gaza. Memorial events in Israel began at 6:29 a.m., the time the attack began three years earlier.

Vance’s reference to the American victims highlighted the significant U.S. toll from the attack. Americans were among those murdered and kidnapped during the Hamas invasion, making Oct. 7 not only the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust but also a terrorist attack that directly claimed American lives.

The statement comes amid considerable attention to how American political leaders are marking the anniversary. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned the Hamas massacre in his own statement Wednesday but also called the devastation in Gaza “reprehensible” and demanded a dramatic change in American policy that would include the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani went further, using his Oct. 7 statement to accuse the Israeli government of an “ongoing genocide” in Gaza and denounce what he called “occupation and apartheid.” Mamdani’s remarks drew criticism from several Democratic members of Congress as well as Jewish organizations and Republican officials.

Vance’s message also comes against the backdrop of an evolving relationship between the Trump administration and the Netanyahu government. In recent months, the vice president has emphasized that while Israel remains an important American partner, the United States will pursue its own interests and will not necessarily agree with the Israeli government on every issue.

“Israel has been an important partner when it comes to military technology, when it comes to intelligence sharing, but also sometimes the United States doesn’t always agree with Israel,” Vance said last month.

Vance has nevertheless consistently placed responsibility for the Gaza war’s origins on Hamas. Discussing the conflict in October 2025, he stressed that the fighting began with the terrorist assault on Israel and said the Trump administration remained focused on eliminating the terrorist threat while addressing humanitarian needs in Gaza.

His position on Oct. 7 itself has also remained consistent. On the first anniversary of the massacre in 2024, when he was President Trump’s running mate, Vance attended a memorial gathering on the National Mall in Washington and declared that the attack would not be forgotten.

“My friends, I know I speak for all of us and saying we will never forget October the 7th. We’re going to reject anti-Semitism in our schools, rejected in our foreign policy. And if we do this the right way, we’re going to reject it in the ballot box on November the 5th, 2024.”

At that same 2024 gathering, Vance said Israel had the right to defeat the terrorist organization responsible for the massacre.

“We want to give Israel the right and the ability to finish what Hamas started. Israel didn’t start this. Hamas did. But Israel is going to finish it.”

{Matzav.com}

A former U.S. Postal Service employee who was caught on surveillance video shoving a 4-year-old boy to the pavement in Monsey has been sentenced to three years of probation, bringing an end to a case that sparked widespread outrage when the disturbing footage surfaced earlier this year.

Gabriel Stan, 39, of Stony Point, was also ordered to complete six weeks of anger-management classes, pay a $1,000 fine and stay away from the child following his conviction for endangering the welfare of a child.

The incident occurred on March 19 while Stan was working as a USPS mail carrier in the Town of Ramapo. Surveillance footage showed the young boy approaching Stan near his Postal Service vehicle before the mail carrier suddenly shoved him backward.

The force of the shove sent the child crashing onto the pavement, with his yarmulke flying off his head. The boy then got back up, retrieved his yarmulke and walked away.

The video quickly spread throughout Monsey and beyond, triggering anger over the apparently unprovoked encounter and prompting an immediate investigation by Ramapo Police.

Stan was arrested the following day and initially charged with attempted assault in the third degree and endangering the welfare of a child, both misdemeanors.

The case was ultimately resolved with Stan pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of a child. He will not serve jail time under the sentence imposed but will remain under probation supervision for three years.

The U.S. Postal Service said Stan is no longer employed by the agency. His employment was terminated following the incident.

The footage drew strong condemnation from elected officials when it became public. Ramapo Town Supervisor Michael Specht described what he saw as deeply disturbing.

“I have viewed the video depicting an incident involving a physical attack on a small child,” Specht said at the time. “The content of this video is very disturbing.”

Specht praised Ramapo Police for moving quickly in the case.

“Ramapo Police have treated this matter with extreme seriousness and have now arrested the suspect,” he said.

Assemblyman Aron Wieder also condemned the incident, calling it “appalling and deeply troubling.”

State Sen. Bill Weber said residents had contacted him after seeing the footage and expressed outrage over what happened.

“I’ve heard from constituents who are deeply alarmed by the assault of a young child in the @TownOfRamapo. I share their concern and outrage,” Weber said.

“He must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!” he added.

Stan’s sentence includes no-contact provisions protecting the child, along with the three years of probation, anger-management requirement and $1,000 fine.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries marked the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre on Wednesday by strongly condemning the terrorist group’s atrocities and reaffirming Israel’s right to exist, while also declaring the devastation in Gaza “reprehensible” and calling for a dramatic shift in U.S. policy that would include the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

The New York Democrat issued the statement exactly three years after Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, murdering approximately 1,200 people, kidnapping 251 others and committing widespread atrocities during the deadliest attack against the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

Jeffries opened his statement by focusing directly on the Hamas assault and the Israelis and Americans who were murdered, abducted and assaulted that day.

“Three years ago today, Hamas terrorists intent on destroying Israel launched an unthinkable massacre, murdering, kidnapping and sexually assaulting innocent Israeli civilians, as well as American citizens. We continue to mourn with the loved ones of those who were killed on that tragic day and stand with all still healing, including former hostages recovering from unimaginable horror,” he wrote.

Jeffries then addressed the dramatic rise in antisemitism that has followed the Oct. 7 attack, describing the Jewish people as facing an enduring struggle for survival and insisting that the United States remain committed to Israel’s security.

“As we solemnly commemorate October 7 and antisemitic attacks around the world surge, we are reminded of the painful reality that the Jewish people are in a constant struggle for survival, as has been the case for thousands of years. America must remain committed to Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state, living in safety and security with its neighbors. We must permanently remove Hamas from power, eradicate terror and strive for a just and lasting peace in the region.”

But Jeffries then pivoted from the Hamas massacre to Israel’s ensuing war in Gaza, using the anniversary statement to sharply condemn the civilian death toll and destruction in the Palestinian territory.

“Throughout the past three years, considerable suffering has plagued the Middle East. The horrific death of Palestinian civilians, destruction of civil society and devastation in Gaza is reprehensible and can never be allowed to happen again.”

Jeffries proceeded to call for a significant change in Washington’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, declaring that the United States should explicitly commit itself to creating a Palestinian state.

He also demanded a new generation of Palestinian leadership and condemned violence by Israeli settlers in Yehudah and Shomron, which he referred to as the West Bank.

“In order to end the vicious cycle of bloodshed, for the good of the Israeli and Palestinian people, American policy in the region must change dramatically. We must commit to the creation of an independent Palestinian state to provide dignity, respect and self-determination for the Palestinian people. We must also support a new generation of Palestinian leaders and put an end to the egregious settler violence in the West Bank. Nothing short of a future that involves Israel and a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and prosperity is acceptable.”

The remarks were not the first time Jeffries has recently demanded a change in American policy toward the conflict. In an August letter outlining his views on the Middle East, Jeffries said the United States must “strongly support the creation of an independent Palestinian state” and called for reconstruction of Gaza, the removal and disarmament of Hamas, increased humanitarian assistance and greater economic development in Gaza and Yehudah and Shomron.

His latest statement nevertheless drew additional attention because it was issued specifically on Oct. 7, a day on which Jewish communities in Israel and around the world were commemorating the victims of the Hamas massacre.

Jeffries was also not the only senior Democrat to use the anniversary to call for changes in American or Israeli policy. Other prominent Democrats issued statements Wednesday addressing Palestinian suffering and the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict alongside their commemorations of the Hamas attack.

The House Democratic leader’s statement came the same day that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued his own highly controversial Oct. 7 message, although Mamdani went considerably further in his accusations against Israel.

Mamdani acknowledged the Hamas atrocities and the suffering of Israelis before accusing the Israeli government of carrying out an “ongoing genocide” in Gaza and denouncing what he called “occupation and apartheid.” His statement triggered fierce criticism from Jewish leaders and elected officials who accused him of exploiting the anniversary of the massacre to attack Israel.

Jeffries has had a complicated political relationship with Mamdani over Israel. He formally endorsed Mamdani during the 2025 mayoral campaign but had previously pressed him to address concerns within New York’s Jewish community over his anti-Israel positions.

The issue resurfaced only days before the Oct. 7 anniversary after Mamdani reiterated his desire for the United States to join the International Criminal Court and enforce its arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

Asked during a CNN interview whether he agreed with Mamdani’s position, Jeffries did not endorse the mayor’s demand. Instead, he said that another Oct. 7 must never be permitted to occur and that the destruction seen in Gaza must likewise not be repeated, while again advocating for Israel and a Palestinian state to exist alongside one another.

Jeffries’ position on Israel has evolved in emphasis since the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attack. One month after Oct. 7, 2023, he strongly defended Israel’s right and responsibility to protect its citizens and said the effort to defeat Hamas “must succeed,” while also insisting that Israel comply with the laws of war and minimize Palestinian civilian casualties.

{Matzav.com}

Three years after the Oct. 7 massacre, Yehuda Avidan, director-general of Israel’s Ministry of Religious Services, has offered a harrowing account of what unfolded behind the gates of the Shura military base, where hundreds of bodies were brought for identification following the Hamas-led attack.

In an extensive interview, Avidan described taking responsibility for the civilian victims within hours of the massacre, working virtually without sleep as bodies poured into Shura, confronting horrifying cases of mutilation and abuse, and participating in the extraordinary halachic effort required to identify victims and prevent women from being left as agunos.

Avidan, an Ashdod resident, said he learned early on the morning of Oct. 7 that something far beyond an ordinary terrorist attack was taking place.

“Because I don’t live in a chareidi neighborhood, the news reached me very quickly, already at 8:00 in the morning. A neighbor came to me and showed me pictures of the vehicle in Sderot, the jeep. When I saw the white pickup truck in Sderot, I told him, ‘My brother, we are in a world war.’ By the end of the holiday, I already knew that we were looking at hundreds of murdered people — while television was showing only 130.”

Under the legal structure in place at the time, responsibility for civilian fatalities belonged to the Interior Ministry. Avidan said that by the conclusion of the holiday, however, he understood that an entirely different system would be required to handle the scale of the catastrophe.

“The first two phone calls I made at the end of the Yom Tov were to Interior Minister Moshe Arbel and Religious Services Minister Michael Malchieli. I told Moshe Arbel, ‘My brother, forget it, you cannot handle these fatalities. This is my field. I am taking responsibility for all of it as though the government decision has already taken effect. Tell your people that I am taking responsibility for this issue.’ He told me, ‘Accepted. Thank you very much. I thank you. It is also absolutely the right thing.’ I put him on a conference call together with Malchieli, we agreed that I would receive responsibility, and from that moment, the rest is history.”

By 8:30 the following morning, Avidan was already holding a conference call with senior ministry officials and the country’s major chevros kaddisha. His instructions reflected the numbers he feared were coming.

“The next day at 8:30 a.m., I was already on a conference call with the entire senior leadership of my ministry and the large chevros kaddisha. I instructed each of them to dig 50 graves around the country and begin preparing. I was simply trying to understand how I was going to handle this thing, all based on personal intuition.”

Half an hour later, approximately 150 people — including Religious Services Ministry officials, religious council leaders and representatives of chevros kaddisha — joined an emergency Zoom meeting.

“At 9:00 in the morning, I scheduled a management meeting at the ministry with the minister and all the heads of the religious councils and chevros kaddisha — there were 150 of us on Zoom. There I made two very simple decisions: First — there are no rules, there are no regulations, do what needs to be done, don’t ask questions. When the accountant and legal adviser began asking questions, I told them: ‘There are no rules, there are no laws, do whatever needs to be done, you have my authorization. Whoever sues you — I will back you.’”

Avidan also decided that all civilian bodies requiring preparation for burial would initially be directed to a single location in Rishon LeZion because of the severe condition in which many victims were being recovered.

“At the same time, I made an immediate decision that I was activating one place in the country to receive all the bodies for preparation for burial — and that was Rishon LeZion, because I understood that the condition of the bodies was not good and kavod hameis required it. At 12:00 we went down to Shura, and from that moment my place of residence was Shura Camp and Rishon LeZion.”

When Avidan arrived at Shura, he found senior representatives of the police, military, Health Ministry and other agencies attempting to respond to a catastrophe on a scale none of the existing systems had been designed to handle.

“I arrived there as a relatively new director-general, only eight or nine months into the job. You come, and suddenly standing next to you are Deputy Commissioner Yoav Telem, Deputy Commissioner Shlomit Landes, Lahav 433 personnel. Suddenly you see deputy commissioners everywhere, the Health Ministry, the police, the army… They didn’t even know what the role of the Religious Services Ministry was.”

Within hours, Avidan said, it became clear that the overlapping responsibilities threatened to create chaos.

“By the afternoon, I already understood that it was beginning to become a mess, and I announced: ‘Gentlemen, according to the law, I am responsible for the identification. I am responsible for everything concerning the fatalities.’ From that moment, I took command and began coordinating the entire operation. The police were responsible for the identification, and we began working like machines.”

The identification of civilians posed challenges substantially different from those involving soldiers. The military had extensive identifying information readily available for its personnel, while civilian records were scattered among different government agencies and databases.

“Unlike the army, where identification can take half an hour because they have all the data, with us, among civilians — anyone who had not been in the army, his information did not come up. It took us a day or two to arrange the transfer of information between the agencies, and then things began moving.”

What followed were days and nights confronting scenes Avidan said remain seared into his memory: hundreds of victims, many burned beyond recognition, alongside evidence of horrific abuse inflicted during the massacre.

Among the most wrenching episodes was the case of a father and daughter whose fate remained uncertain. An instinct that something was wrong ultimately led authorities to reopen a grave, where investigators made an extraordinary discovery: the father and daughter had died together, still embracing one another.

The immense identification challenge also created grave halachic questions. In cases where a married man could not conclusively be identified, his wife could potentially remain an agunah, unable to remarry without sufficient evidence of her husband’s death.

To address those cases, a discreet halachic committee was established under the leadership of then-Rishon LeZion Rav Yitzchak Yosef. Working largely outside the public eye, the committee examined the most complicated identification cases and the evidence available in each one, seeking halachically valid grounds to establish deaths and release women from the status of agunah.

The work at Shura ultimately became one of the least visible but most painful fronts of the aftermath of Oct. 7. Behind the casualty figures were teams required to examine what remained after the massacre, establish identities, preserve kavod hameis, return victims to their families and confront unprecedented halachic questions — all while new bodies continued arriving.

{Matzav.com}

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is launching a broad federal initiative aimed at studying and assisting people who say they suffered serious injuries following vaccination, including a new National Institutes of Health clinic devoted to such patients and proposed changes intended to encourage doctors to report suspected vaccine side effects.

Kennedy traveled to the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland, earlier this week for an unannounced visit in which he met with patients who believe they were injured by vaccines and unveiled elements of the new program, according to people familiar with the initiative.

The initiative represents one of Kennedy’s most significant moves yet on an issue he championed for years before becoming President Trump’s health secretary: his contention that Americans reporting serious health problems after vaccination have often been ignored or dismissed by the medical establishment.

A centerpiece of the effort is a new NIH clinic that will both study and provide care to patients with suspected vaccine injuries. Kennedy attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the clinic during his visit to the Bethesda campus.

The administration is also working on a new medical billing code that would allow physicians to be reimbursed for the time involved in filing reports of serious suspected vaccine reactions. The proposal is designed to increase reporting to the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, known as VAERS, which is jointly administered by the CDC and FDA.

VAERS accepts reports of health problems occurring after vaccination, but a report by itself does not establish that a vaccine caused the condition. The system is intended to detect potential safety signals that can then be investigated using additional data and research.

Kennedy’s initiative is expected to extend beyond the new clinic. Federal officials have been examining ways to modernize the government’s vaccine-injury reporting and compensation systems, areas Kennedy has repeatedly argued are inadequate for people who believe they have suffered genuine vaccine-related injuries.

The federal government already recognizes that vaccines, like other medical products, can in rare cases cause serious adverse reactions. The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, created by Congress in 1986, provides a special legal mechanism through which people alleging injuries from certain vaccines can seek compensation without first bringing a conventional product-liability lawsuit against a vaccine manufacturer.

Under that program, claimants can receive compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings, pain and suffering and, in cases involving a vaccine-related death, payments to an estate. Some conditions appearing within specified periods after particular vaccines are listed on the government’s Vaccine Injury Table and receive a presumption of causation, while other claims require evidence establishing that the vaccine caused the injury.

Kennedy has been openly dissatisfied with how that system operates. In July 2025, he disclosed that he had assembled a team to examine major changes to the compensation program, saying the government needed to better serve people who have suffered legitimate vaccine injuries.

Those efforts have since generated a fierce debate within medicine and public health. Kennedy and his supporters argue that patients reporting debilitating symptoms after vaccination deserve serious investigation, medical care and a fair opportunity to obtain compensation. Medical organizations agree that genuine vaccine injuries should be identified and compensated but have strongly objected to proposals they say could presume causation for conditions where scientific evidence has not established a link.

That dispute became particularly intense this year over a petition seeking a dramatic expansion of the Vaccine Injury Table. Medical and infectious-disease organizations warned Kennedy in May that adding hundreds of conditions without adequate scientific evidence could overwhelm the compensation system and make it harder for patients with well-established vaccine injuries to receive timely assistance.

The new NIH effort could potentially address one of the central points of disagreement by placing greater emphasis on research intended to determine which reported conditions actually have a causal relationship with vaccination and which merely occurred afterward.

Kennedy’s latest move comes amid a much broader transformation of federal vaccine policy under his leadership. He has overhauled the CDC’s vaccine advisory structure and pursued significant changes to federal vaccination recommendations, actions that have triggered lawsuits and intense opposition from state officials and major medical organizations.

Kennedy’s critics argue that his approach risks undermining confidence in vaccines that have prevented enormous numbers of illnesses and deaths. His supporters counter that investigating possible adverse effects more aggressively should strengthen rather than weaken public confidence by demonstrating that federal health agencies take safety concerns seriously.

The controversy is particularly sensitive because establishing that an illness occurred after a vaccination is fundamentally different from demonstrating that the vaccine caused it. Serious medical events occur naturally in large populations, meaning researchers generally need controlled studies, epidemiological data and other evidence before determining whether a particular condition occurs more frequently among vaccinated people than would otherwise be expected.

Kennedy has nevertheless made clear that people who believe they have been injured will occupy a more prominent place in federal health policy. Speaking last month at a conference hosted by Children’s Health Defense, the organization he previously led, Kennedy pledged to continue fighting for people who report vaccine injuries and told attendees that they have a “strong and steadfast friend at the White House.”

The administration has not yet publicly released all of the new initiative’s details, including precisely how the NIH clinic will select patients, which vaccines and medical conditions will be studied, how large the research program will become, or how much federal funding will be devoted to it.

But the establishment of a dedicated NIH clinic, combined with efforts to pay physicians for reporting suspected adverse reactions and Kennedy’s continuing push to overhaul the compensation system, signals that vaccine injury is becoming a distinct research and policy priority within the nation’s health agencies.

{Matzav.com}