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A sprawling homeless encampment stretching across Manhattan’s West Side is drawing mounting criticism as opponents accuse Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s new homeless policy of preventing police from taking swift action, leaving a deteriorating situation to worsen near one of the city’s busiest tourist destinations.

Under the administration’s revised approach, the NYPD is barred from clearing homeless encampments until civilian outreach workers and homeless advocates have spent seven days attempting to persuade those living there to accept services and shelter. According to sources, that seven-day countdown only began Tuesday despite residents complaining about the encampment for weeks.

Residents said city outreach teams did not arrive at the site until approximately 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Public safety experts warned that the rapidly expanding encampment bears troubling similarities to New York City’s troubled decades of the 1980s and early 1990s.

“The mayor is too young to remember the eighties and early nineties and what a mess New York was,” former NYPD Commissioner William Bratton told The NY Post. “Those who don’t know their history are doomed to repeat it. It all began with non-enforcement of quality-of-life offenses.

“Remember the squeegee men at every entrance to the city?” Bratton said. “Remember the rampant …. graffiti? Remember the 8,000 open air drug selling locations? Remember the rampant subway fare evasion? I remember, and it’s happening again.”

The NY Post first highlighted the encampment Friday, though neighborhood residents said tents and makeshift shelters have lined the area for several weeks. They also alleged that panhandlers have been harassing visitors while drug dealing and theft have become common in broad daylight.

By Tuesday, some of those living in the encampment had reportedly connected illegal electrical lines to nearby city utility poles in order to obtain power.

“In just half a year, Mayor Mamdani’s policies have managed to turn the West Side into Skid Row,” City Councilwoman Joann Ariola, R-Queens, told The Post Tuesday.

“The administration is repeating the same ridiculous hands-off approach to the homeless that destroyed LA and San Francisco, and now we have a 12-block homeless campsite in Manhattan.

“Way to go DSA,” she added, referring to the Democratic Socialists of America, the lefty group that counts Mamdani as a member.

Soon after taking office, Mamdani reversed former Mayor Eric Adams’ policy that empowered police to aggressively dismantle homeless encampments and remove individuals considered to be at risk from city streets.

In its place, the administration adopted what it describes as a larger, more humane strategy centered on a housing-first model. Under the plan, the Department of Community Safety relies on civilian outreach teams and social workers, rather than police officers, to connect homeless individuals with housing and support services.

The policy requires those outreach teams to spend seven days engaging with people living in an encampment before police are permitted to remove it.

The NYPD, whose role in homeless enforcement had already been reduced during the de Blasio administration, now has even less authority under Mamdani’s policy. Officers may intervene only when criminal activity, emergencies, or the protection of city workers requires their presence.

“The Mamdani Administration has stopped the failed encampment sweep policies of the past and moving forward will connect New Yorkers to the resources they need to thrive and to build a New York where everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home,” the city sanitation department said in a statement.

A City Hall spokesperson also told The NY Post on Tuesday, “This site will be cleaned.”

Brian Stettin, who served as a senior adviser on severe mental illness during the Adams administration, said the concept behind the policy may be reasonable, provided city officials move quickly.

“It’s perfectly reasonable to spend a week attempting a voluntary resolution before dismantling an encampment,” Stettin said. “But people will quickly lose faith in that policy if they see the city dragging its feet. The 7-day clock should start as soon as DHS confirms the presence of an encampment.”

Critics argue that the administration has failed to act with the urgency the situation demands.

“This is embarrassing and a big black eye on the city, especially with FIFA tourists,” one veteran cop griped. “The Intrepid is a big tourist attraction, and what are people from all over the world thinking when they walk by this encampment?”

During patrols Tuesday, police instructed occupants of two encampments to disconnect unauthorized electrical hookups from city utility poles. According to reports, however, the illegal connections are often restored once officers leave the area.

Mamdani addressed the controversy publicly on Monday but emphasized his administration’s broader strategy rather than immediate enforcement.

“We are focused on connecting New Yorkers to shelter and on establishing a pipeline to stable housing, not just moving New Yorkers from one place to another place,” he said. “To this specific encampment that you brought up, we’re going to look into the details of that.”

{Matzav.com}

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President Donald Trump is directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to resume conducting traffic stops, rejecting a recent Department of Homeland Security decision to suspend the tactic following two fatal shootings involving ICE agents in Maine and Texas.

In a post on Truth Social Wednesday, Trump defended the use of traffic stops as a critical law enforcement strategy.

“We CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal’s hands.”

Trump’s remarks came a day after DHS reportedly instructed ICE personnel across the country to temporarily stop carrying out routine vehicle stops. The directive, according to reports, eliminated most traffic stops except in limited situations, including operations involving criminal warrants or coordinated actions with other law enforcement agencies.

The policy change followed two deadly encounters involving ICE officers. On Monday in Biddeford, Maine, agents attempting to stop a vehicle fatally shot 25-year-old Colombian national Joan Sebastian Guerrero, who was married and the father of a 3-year-old daughter.

An ICE spokesperson said an officer discharged his weapon while “fearing for public safety.” The shooting remains under investigation by the FBI and local authorities, while DHS’ Office of Inspector General has also been notified.

Independent Maine Sen. Angus King said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin informed him that the man who died was not the individual ICE agents had initially intended to apprehend.

The Maine incident came just days after another fatal ICE shooting during a vehicle stop in Houston. Acting ICE Director David Venturella said the victim, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national who had lived in the United States for decades, was likewise not the person agents had been attempting to locate.

According to DHS, officers believed Salgado Araujo matched the description of the suspect they were seeking. The department said an ICE officer fired in self-defense after Salgado Araujo allegedly rammed an agency vehicle.

Both deadly encounters occurred as the Trump administration has stepped up immigration enforcement nationwide, sparking anti-ICE demonstrations in both Maine and Texas.

The Associated Press reported that the ICE agents involved in the Houston shooting were not equipped with body cameras. DHS has said those officers are expected to receive body-worn cameras within the next 60 days.

Trump also used his Truth Social post to again criticize the immigration policies of President Joe Biden.

“The men and women of ICE are doing a GREAT job, one that has to be done. CRIME IS WAY DOWN IN AMERICA, in many cases with numbers that haven’t been seen in decades,” he said.

“The Open Border Policy of Sleepy Joe Biden allowed 25,000,000 people to pour into our Country, unchecked and unvetted,” Trump continued. “Many were Criminals, and we have to get them out. In order to do this, we must be strong, tough, and smart.”

Concluding his message, Trump encouraged ICE officers to return to conducting enforcement operations while exercising sound judgment.

“I.C.E., be judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job,” Trump wrote. “Keep those Crime Stat Records coming! Remember, you are loved and respected in America.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is urging television networks not to broadcast President Donald Trump’s scheduled address Thursday night, arguing that media organizations should not give airtime to claims about election fraud that she says lack factual support.

Trump announced on Truth Social that he plans to deliver a speech at 9 p.m. Thursday but did not reveal what he intends to discuss. According to published reports, the president is expected to revisit his longstanding assertion that the 2020 presidential election was rigged and to argue that Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, both Democrats from Georgia, are “illegitimate” members of the Senate.

Ossoff and Warnock won Georgia’s two Senate runoff elections on Jan. 5, 2021, one day before the Capitol riot, giving Democrats control of the Senate. Warnock, who initially won a special election to complete the remainder of former Sen. Johnny Isakson’s term following his resignation, secured a full six-year term in 2022. Ossoff is seeking reelection this November.

On Tuesday, MeidasTouch reporter Pablo Manríquez spoke with Ocasio-Cortez outside the U.S. Capitol and asked for her reaction to the president’s upcoming remarks.

“He’s basically doing a made-for-TV broadcast about election fraud and conspiracy theories,” Manríquez said.

“I don’t think we should be contributing to the platforming of lies about our elections,” the congresswoman replied. “Many news outlets oftentimes may receive transcripts [in advance], and I think we have an ethical obligation not to air things that undermine our elections that are not rooted in evidence and in fact.”

AOC on Trump’s Thursday address: I don’t think we should be contributing to the platforming of lies about our elections. Many of these outlets often receive transcripts, and I think we have an ethical obligation not to air things that undermine our elections and are not rooted in… pic.twitter.com/MrHKjt2Waa

— Acyn (@Acyn) July 14, 2026

Following the 2020 election, Trump spent the next two months challenging the results and urging Republican officials in states won by Joe Biden to revisit or overturn their certified outcomes. He repeatedly questioned the integrity of the election, and some political analysts have argued that his continued focus on alleged election irregularities discouraged some Republican voters from participating in Georgia’s Senate runoff elections, helping Democrats capture both seats and take control of the chamber.

[Video below.] President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that expanding pipeline infrastructure in Texas and Alaska could provide alternative routes for moving energy supplies as tensions with Iran continue to disrupt shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

The remarks came as the United States carried out a fourth straight day of airstrikes against Iran. U.S. officials say the military action followed Iran’s alleged violation of the memorandum of understanding signed by Washington and Tehran last month. Iranian officials, however, contend that Article 5 of the agreement grants Iran authority to manage all maritime traffic through the critical waterway within its territorial waters. Although some commercial vessels have attempted to avoid Iranian-controlled waters by sailing along the Omani coastline, Iran struck several tankers last week, killing one crew member. In response, the United States reinstated its naval blockade of Iranian shipping in the Gulf of Oman while continuing its bombing campaign.

Despite the escalating conflict, Trump and other administration officials have maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to international traffic.

During an interview Tuesday with Fox News Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yingst, the reporter pointed to a dramatic decline in maritime traffic through the waterway.

“Shipping data trackers indicate that just 10 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday,” Yingst stated. “Less than 10% of what normally goes through this critical waterway. When you say the strait is open, what do you mean?”

Trump responded by insisting that access remains available to most countries while emphasizing that Iran itself is being blocked.

“It’s open if people want to go through it,” the president said. “We’re not opening it for Iran. That’s the only one it’s closed for. It’s closed for Iran both in and out. But it’s open now. A lot of things have happened, Trey, in the last few months. Pipelines are being built. We’re coming up with great alternatives, including Texas, including Alaska.”

Although Trump referenced domestic pipeline projects as potential alternatives, the United States is not controlling which commercial vessels may transit the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, the U.S. naval blockade is being enforced farther east in the Gulf of Oman, where Iranian vessels are being intercepted before reaching the strategic shipping lane.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

Can a Jew stop a non-Jew driving on Shabbos and ask him to turn on an air conditioner? Is it permissible to ride in an elevator with a non-Jew? And may a non-Jew open an electronically locked hotel room door on Shabbos? These were among the practical halachah questions addressed by Rav Ofir Malka during his Israeli radio program Halachah Lemaaseh.

One listener described living in a predominantly non-Jewish neighborhood and asked whether, because of the intense heat, he could stop a passing non-Jewish driver on Shabbos and have him turn on the air conditioner in his home.

Rav Malka ruled that doing so is prohibited.

“You are hinting to a non-Jew to perform melachah with his own possessions for your benefit—that is forbidden,” the Rav said.

He explained that stopping the vehicle itself causes the non-Jew to perform additional melachos on behalf of the Jew.

“The moment he stops the car, he presses the brake, and then when he starts driving again, that is another melachah. It’s all because of you,” the Rav explained.

Another question involved hotels outside of Israel where guest rooms are accessed using electronic key cards. The caller asked whether it would be permissible to arrange in advance for a non-Jew to accompany him in the elevator and open the hotel room door for him.

Rav Malka responded that there is “absolutely no permission to ride in an elevator with a non-Jew under any circumstances,” explaining that even if the non-Jew operates the elevator, the Jew’s own use of the elevator activates various electrical systems.

The Rav elaborated that entering and exiting the elevator interrupts the light beam in the doorway, increases the electrical current, and, most significantly, activates the elevator’s digital weighing system, which adjusts the elevator’s operation based on the weight of its passengers.

“All of that is done by the Jew himself. It has nothing to do with the non-Jew—it is chilul Shabbos without even realizing it,” he emphasized. For that reason, he said, the presence of a non-Jew does not make riding the elevator permissible.

Regarding electronic hotel room doors, Rav Malka explained that if there is a significant and genuine need, it is permissible to ask a non-Jew to open the door.

Ideally, however, he advised guests to prepare before Shabbos by leaving the door latch disengaged so that the room can be entered without using the electronic lock. Only if someone is stranded without any other practical option may he ask a non-Jew to open the door in a case of substantial need.

{Matzav.com}

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly lost confidence in former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad months before his regime collapsed and even explored the possibility of replacing him with his wife, Asma al-Assad, according to a new investigative report published by the British newspaper The Observer.

The report paints an unusual picture of the relationship between Putin and Assad during the final months of the Syrian regime. According to the investigation, as Assad’s government weakened in the months leading up to its collapse in December 2024, the Kremlin considered installing Asma al-Assad as Syria’s new leader after concluding that her husband was no longer capable of effectively governing the country.

Citing multiple sources, The Observer reported that Asma al-Assad, who was born in Britain and previously worked as an investment banker, had long played a far more influential role than that of a ceremonial first lady. According to the report, she became a central figure in decision-making within the presidential palace and exercised significant control over the regime’s economic power centers. Business leaders who refused to cooperate with her associates allegedly faced tax investigations, sanctions, and the closure of their companies. Her extensive involvement in running the country reportedly drew criticism over the years from senior regime officials, intelligence figures, and members of Syria’s business community.

The investigation further claims that Putin personally raised the idea with Bashar al-Assad of transferring power to his wife. However, the Syrian leader reportedly rejected the proposal outright. When rebel forces launched the offensive that ultimately brought down the regime in December 2024, Russia refrained from mounting any significant military intervention. Assad fled to Moscow on December 8, where he has remained under political asylum ever since, while international arrest warrants against him remain outstanding.

According to the report, Asma al-Assad had already left Syria in August 2024 to receive medical treatment in Russia. Since then, she has reportedly traveled between Dubai and other international destinations. Although she is barred from entering Britain and European Union member states, the report claims she spends considerable time in Dubai, where the Assad family owns luxury properties.

{Matzav.com}

Mahmoud Khalil, the former Columbia University graduate student who emerged as a leading figure in anti-Israel campus demonstrations, has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the Trump administration and several private organizations of working together to suppress pro-Palestinian activists through doxing, detention, and attempted deportation.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in federal court, names senior officials in President Donald Trump’s administration, the Heritage Foundation, and the online organizations Canary Mission and Betar as participants in what Khalil alleges was a coordinated effort to target him because of his activism.

According to the complaint, Khalil’s attorneys argue that this alleged “public-private partnership” violated the Ku Klux Klan Act, a Reconstruction-era federal law designed to prevent government officials from conspiring with private vigilante groups to deprive individuals of their civil rights. The attorneys contend that evidence of such coordination first surfaced during unrelated litigation last year.

Khalil, 31, is a former graduate student at Columbia University who became one of the most visible leaders and spokesmen for student protests opposing Israel and its military campaign in Gaza.

A lawful permanent resident of the United States who is married to an American citizen, Khalil was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in March 2025 at his apartment on Columbia’s campus. His detention quickly became one of the most prominent examples of the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

He remained in an immigration detention facility in Louisiana for 104 days, during which he missed the birth of his first child, before a federal judge in New Jersey ordered his release.

Khalil’s deportation proceedings, which have been a priority for the Trump administration, have advanced rapidly through the immigration court system, which is part of the executive branch. The case could ultimately be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Khalil has repeatedly rejected accusations that his involvement in pro-Palestinian demonstrations constitutes antisemitism.

“My beliefs are not wanting my tax money or tuition going toward investments in weapons manufacturers for a genocide,” he previously told The Associated Press. “It’s as simple as that.”

{Matzav.com}

A powerful explosion caused by a fragmentation grenade shattered the early-morning quiet in south Tel Aviv overnight, damaging several vehicles in a parking lot and triggering a large-scale police manhunt that quickly extended into the Chareidi city of Bnei Brak. The pursuit ended with the arrest of two young men riding a scooter.

The blast occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Anatbi Street in south Tel Aviv, sending a loud shockwave through the surrounding neighborhoods and prompting a massive response from emergency and law enforcement personnel. According to preliminary findings, unidentified suspects threw a fragmentation grenade into an open parking lot in a residential area.

The force of the explosion caused significant damage, with grenade shrapnel smashing the windows of several parked vehicles and causing additional property damage. After numerous emergency calls were received, officers from the Sharet Police Station, Border Police units from the Central District, and bomb disposal experts from the Tel Aviv District Police arrived at the scene. The area was sealed off as investigators began collecting forensic evidence and interviewing local residents.

At the same time, police launched an extensive search for those responsible, relying on technological tools and initial information regarding the suspects’ escape route.

The search quickly expanded beyond Tel Aviv and entered neighboring Bnei Brak. Officers from the Bnei Brak Police Station, who had been deployed at key locations throughout the city after receiving the alert, spotted two young men riding a scooter whose appearance matched the suspects’ description. Police said the pair’s behavior also aroused suspicion.

Officers intercepted the scooter and arrested both suspects. During a search of the vehicle, police discovered a knife concealed on the scooter.

The suspects, ages 17 and 19, both residents of the greater Tel Aviv metropolitan area, were taken into custody and transferred under heavy security to the Sharet Police Station in Tel Aviv, which is leading the investigation. Police said they intend to bring the two before a judge later today to request an extension of their detention as the investigation continues and additional evidence is gathered.

{Matzav.com}

A two-year-old Israeli girl tragically drowned Tuesday night in the swimming pool of a hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Despite efforts by medical personnel to save her life, doctors were forced to pronounce her dead. ZAKA is now working to arrange the transfer of her body to Israel.

Shortly before 11:00 p.m., ZAKA’s International Unit emergency hotline (1220) received notification of the tragedy. According to initial reports, the toddler drowned in the hotel pool during the evening. She was rushed to a local hospital, where medical staff were ultimately unable to revive her and declared her deceased.

Immediately after receiving the report, members of ZAKA’s International Unit began coordinating with the relevant authorities in both Israel and Egypt.

The joint effort is aimed at expediting the necessary bureaucratic procedures so the toddler’s body can be returned to Israel as quickly as possible. ZAKA is also providing ongoing assistance and support to the bereaved family during this difficult time.

Chaim Weingarten, ZAKA’s Deputy Director of Operations, said, “Immediately upon receiving the report, we activated ZAKA’s International Unit, which operates around the clock in cases of this nature throughout the world.”

“We are in continuous contact with all of the relevant authorities in order to assist the family and bring the toddler to burial in Israel as quickly as possible, while preserving her dignity and providing the family with all the assistance they require,” he added.

{Matzav.com}

The Knesset has given final approval to legislation repealing former Religious Services Minister Matan Kahana’s kashrus reform, marking a major legislative victory for MK Michael Malkieli.

In a dramatic vote that concluded overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, the Knesset plenum passed the repeal in its second and third readings. The bill was approved by a vote of 46-41.

The legislation, considered MK Malkieli’s flagship initiative, completely overturns Kahana’s kashrus reform, which was enacted in 2021 and sparked fierce opposition throughout the Torah world.

Following the vote, Malkieli, who spearheaded the campaign to repeal the reform, expressed great satisfaction with the outcome.

“After years of determined struggle led by Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, we have merited to correct the Kahana reform, which threatened to breach the walls of kashrus in the Holy Land,” Malkieli said.

He added, “The new reform will bring with it many improvements, some of them historic, in every area of kashrus. The reform will strengthen Israel’s Chief Rabbinate and the rabbis of Israel. It will also regulate the employment of kashrus supervisors and, contrary to the false claims spread by interested parties, will even help lower the cost of living for all Israeli citizens.”

What the New Law Includes

Under the newly approved legislation, the provisions that allowed private kashrus organizations to operate are repealed. The authority to issue kashrus certificates will now rest exclusively with the Council of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, authorized local rabbis, and the IDF Military Rabbinate, as appropriate.

The law also regulates numerous aspects of the kashrus system, including kashrus standards, the operation of bodies involved in providing kashrus services, supervision procedures, the separation between kashrus supervisors and the businesses they oversee, and government oversight of the entire kashrus framework.

The explanatory notes accompanying the bill state:

“On November 18, 2021, the Economic Program Law (Legislative Amendments for Implementing the Economic Policy for the 2021-2022 Budget Years) was published. Chapter 17 of the Arrangements Law, entitled ‘Streamlining the Kashrus System’ (Amendment No. 3), introduced changes to the kashrus system, including the imported food kashrus framework.

“As part of that amendment, the field of kashrus was, in effect, privatized. It provided that supervision services and kashrus certificates could be issued, among others, by private kashrus organizations, based on kashrus standards established, among others, by rabbis who are not public employees.

“The Council of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the Chief Rabbis of Israel who headed it strongly opposed Amendment No. 3. They maintained that the unique characteristics of the kashrus system require kashrus services to remain under public administration in order to safeguard the public interest, including transparency, objectivity, and public accountability. In this way, they argued, the granting of kashrus certification and its oversight would not be influenced by the significant economic interests present within the food industry, which could lead to conflicts of interest and improper considerations.”

Chief Rabbi Backs the Legislation

Israel’s Chief Rabbi, HaGaon Rav Kalman Meir Bar, voiced unequivocal support for the legislation during committee deliberations before the vote. In his remarks, the Chief Rabbi sharply criticized the reality that had developed in Israel’s kashrus market following Kahana’s reform.

“The public wants to know that it can rely on the kashrus certificate and on the body standing behind it,” Rav Bar said. “Kashrus is not a marketing brand but a public responsibility requiring professional, continuous, and reliable oversight.”

Background to the Reform

Matan Kahana’s kashrus reform was enacted in November 2021 as part of the Economic Arrangements Law. It authorized private kashrus organizations to provide supervision services and issue kashrus certificates based on standards established, among others, by rabbis who were not government employees.

From the outset, the Council of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and Israel’s Chief Rabbis strongly opposed the legislation, arguing that the nature of kashrus supervision requires it to remain a public service in order to preserve transparency, objectivity, and accountability to the public.

{Matzav.com}

Although a new poll suggests Kamala Harris would hold an early advantage in hypothetical 2028 presidential matchups, Republican strategists are dismissing the findings, arguing that the former vice president would actually be the easiest Democratic nominee for the GOP to defeat.

During an appearance on Newsmax’s “Finnerty,” Patrick Allocco, founder of the Zoose Political Index, rejected the results of a new Zogby Analytics survey showing Harris leading Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio by five percentage points in potential 2028 general election contests.

“It looks to me like Zogby may have dusted off his final 2024 presidential poll,” Allocco told host Rob Finnerty, pointing out that the polling firm had also projected Harris ahead of President Donald Trump before the 2024 election.

“It was a big miss then, and it’s a big miss now,” he said. “Our data shows Kamala would actually be the dream matchup for Republicans. The more voters are reminded of the Harris record, the less attractive she becomes as a viable candidate. And she already has a national electoral loss on her resume.”

Finnerty noted that Zogby’s final 2024 polling understated Trump’s eventual margin of victory, suggesting that the latest survey should likewise be treated cautiously.

Pollster Jim McLaughlin, who served on Trump’s 2024 campaign, echoed that assessment and said he would welcome a Harris candidacy in the next presidential election.

“I would love to be able to run against her,” McLaughlin said, arguing that many voters continue to associate Harris with the Biden administration’s handling of border security during the period when she served as the administration’s border czar.

McLaughlin also maintained that numerous public polls during the 2024 campaign overstated Democratic support, while his own polling consistently showed Trump ahead in the key battleground states that ultimately decided the election.

The conversation then turned to the Democratic Party’s future, with Finnerty asking Allocco whether the party, given its internal disagreements over Israel, could nominate a Jewish presidential candidate in 2028.

Allocco responded that such a nominee remains possible, but said the more pressing issue is the party’s lack of a clear direction.

“I think you’ve got such a deeply divided Democratic field right now and a party that doesn’t know who their identity is,” he said. “The one thing you need to focus on is who the progressive standard-bearer is going to be … because they are going to have an influence on the outcome of the nominee.”

The interview also addressed speculation involving Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., after he joined Republican Sen. Dave McCormick in creating a joint fundraising committee.

McLaughlin dismissed suggestions that Fetterman could ultimately become a Republican, arguing that despite occasionally breaking with progressive Democrats—particularly in his support for Israel—the Pennsylvania senator has continued to vote with his party on the overwhelming majority of issues.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu is reportedly preparing for a trip to the United States, with Israeli media indicating that he is expected to travel to Washington early next week. Although plans appear to be taking shape, the White House says no official visit has yet been placed on the president’s schedule.

The reports come roughly two weeks after the Prime Minister’s Office announced that Netanyahu and President Donald Trump had spoken by phone in honor of America’s 250th Independence Day. During that conversation, the two leaders agreed to hold an in-person meeting in the United States in the near future.

Despite those reports, a White House official disputed that an official visit has been finalized. Speaking to Channel 12 News correspondent Barak Ravid on Tuesday, the official said, “A visit from Bibi is not on the schedule at this time”.

Israeli officials later told Ynet that Netanyahu is nevertheless expected to leave for Washington this coming Motzoei Shabbos.

According to the report, Netanyahu hopes to meet with Trump while in Washington, although no formal meeting has yet been confirmed. The prime minister is also expected to attend the funeral of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham during his stay in the United States.

The anticipated visit follows a report by Axios earlier Tuesday that Trump urged Netanyahu during a telephone conversation last Thursday to begin reducing Israel’s military presence in Syria and to pursue a similar course in Lebanon.

According to a U.S. official cited by Axios, Trump expressed concern that Israel’s continued deployment inside Syrian territory could heighten regional tensions and increase the risk of further escalation. The official quoted Trump as saying, “They don’t want you there. You should redeploy,” adding that the same message applied to Lebanon.

In response, the Prime Minister’s Office said Netanyahu emphasized Israel’s need to maintain security buffer zones along its borders during the discussion.

Trump also addressed his relationship with Netanyahu during an interview Monday on The Hugh Hewitt Show, dismissing suggestions that ties between the two leaders had cooled and describing their relationship as “very good”.

“I get along with Netanyahu; sometimes I disagree with him, and I tell him that,” said the President, who rejected claims that he had distanced himself from Netanyahu.

“I didn’t throw Bibi under the bus. He’s doing a great job. Without the two of us, there wouldn’t be an Israel,” Trump stated.

Americans may soon be paying more than $4 per gallon for gasoline once again as escalating military tensions between the United States and Iran disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. Analysts warn that if the conflict continues, fuel costs could climb rapidly and place renewed strain on consumers already grappling with higher living expenses.

According to fuel-tracking firm GasBuddy, the national average price for regular gasoline reached $3.84 per gallon on Tuesday, an increase of nearly 10 cents over the past week. Compared with a year ago, gasoline prices have climbed 22.2%.

The sharp rise in fuel prices presents a fresh political challenge for President Donald Trump and Republicans, who are preparing for November’s midterm elections while seeking to preserve their narrow majorities in Congress.

Gasoline prices last exceeded the $4-per-gallon threshold in late March after Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz. Prices later retreated below that level in June following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the war.

A return to $4 gasoline would place additional financial pressure on American families already coping with persistent inflation.

Retail fuel prices have climbed in tandem with crude oil prices after last week’s collapse of the ceasefire between the United States and Iran and the subsequent reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on Iran. Because crude oil is the primary ingredient used to produce gasoline, increases in oil prices are typically reflected at the pump.

Shipping data released Monday showed that tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest level in two months, underscoring the growing disruption to global energy markets.

Before the conflict erupted, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply moved through the Strait of Hormuz. Fuel prices have also been pushed higher by reduced refining capacity in Russia following intensified Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.

“I now expect the national average price of gasoline to reach $4 per gallon in the next 7-10 days, if not sooner, while the U.S. average diesel price is likely to again reach $5 per gallon by the end of this week, potentially as soon as Friday,” GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan wrote in a blog post on Monday.

De Haan added that motorists in some states could see gasoline prices surpass the $4 mark even sooner.

The latest increase in fuel costs also threatens to reverse recent progress in lowering inflation after energy prices helped moderate consumer costs in June.

“While June’s inflation data reflected easing price pressures largely due to lower energy costs, a sustained increase in gasoline prices throughout July could quickly alter that narrative,” said Simon-Peter Massabni, head of business development at XS.com.

“The impact extends beyond fuel itself. Higher gasoline prices feed into transportation costs, freight rates, and broader logistics expenses, which eventually pass through to the prices of goods and services across the economy,” Massabni said.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, warned that if the fighting intensifies and the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed for several weeks, already-depleted global oil inventories will shrink even further.

Under that scenario, he said, oil, gasoline, and other energy prices would surge sharply, while shortages of physical fuel supplies could begin to emerge around the world.

{Matzav.com}

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Israeli security forces arrested four Palestinian Authority residents attempting to enter Israel illegally during a targeted enforcement operation near Jerusalem, including one man suspected of planning an imminent terrorist attack. An Israeli citizen accused of transporting two of the suspects was also taken into custody.

The arrests were made over the course of several hours during a joint operation by Israel Police and Border Police at the Tunnels Checkpoint and the a-Za’im Crossing.

In one case, officers stopped a vehicle that had aroused suspicion and conducted a search. Upon opening the trunk, they discovered two illegal infiltrators from the Arab city of Tulkarm concealed inside as they allegedly attempted to enter pre-1967 Israel unlawfully.

A preliminary security screening determined that one of the two men was a wanted terrorist sought for questioning on suspicion of planning an imminent terror attack and attempting to enter Israel to carry it out.

In a separate incident at the same checkpoints, officers thwarted another attempted illegal entry. Two additional Palestinian Authority residents, from the villages of Azariya and Za’atara, were arrested after they allegedly tried to pass through the checkpoint using forged Israeli identification cards.

Police also arrested the driver transporting the pair, an Israeli citizen and Jerusalem resident suspected of assisting the attempted illegal infiltration.

All five suspects were transferred to Israeli security authorities for further interrogation and investigation.

Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Lieberman declared that if he is part of Israel’s next government, it will not grant even the smallest exemption from military service to Torah students. In a wide-ranging and combative interview with Yishai Cohen, Lieberman launched a blistering attack on the Chareidi leadership, accusing it of repeatedly breaking agreements, insisting that every Chareidi man must serve, and revealing what MK Moshe Gafni allegedly admitted to him behind the scenes regarding the draft law Lieberman promoted in 2018.

The interview also touched on Lieberman’s criticism of the Netanyahu government, his refusal to sit in a coalition supported by Arab parties, whether he intends to seek the premiership, and the personal rift that ended his longtime friendship with Shas chairman Aryeh Deri.

Discussing the ongoing debate over military service, Lieberman insisted that he would support no exemptions whatsoever for Torah students.

“There will not be even a fraction of an exemption,” he declared.

He also rejected the proposal put forward by Gadi Eisenkot to exempt three percent of each annual draft class of Torah students and disclosed that MK Moshe Gafni privately acknowledged to him, “You were right in 2018.”

Turning to the conflict with Iran, Lieberman addressed the recent escalation, including U.S. strikes on Iranian targets and Iran’s attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

“What is clear is that the Iranians are determined to use the ‘Hormuz bomb.’ They invented the ‘Hormuz bomb’ during the war, even before an atomic bomb, and they are using that card very aggressively. It is beyond my understanding. It was obvious, and I don’t know how they failed to take it into account.”

Lieberman argued that Israel has failed to secure a decisive victory over Iran and warned that the Islamic Republic has emerged from the conflict stronger than before.

“No decisive outcome has been achieved. What we are seeing is that the Iranians are returning fire, they have enough launchers, they have taken control of the domestic arena, and this crazy regime is emerging stronger from this entire event. We must understand: You do not launch a military campaign without understanding how you are going to achieve victory—and there is no victory.”

He also dismissed reports describing an alleged secret meeting between Mossad Director David Barnea and former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

“It is absolute madness. This entire publication is absolute madness. All the commentary we have seen on the television channels is absolute madness. It is a total loss of control.”

Speaking more broadly about Israel’s military campaigns in Iran, Lebanon, Gaza, and Yemen, Lieberman accused the government of pursuing a failed strategy.

“This government is incapable of achieving victory because it continues the policy of containment, allows the other side to grow stronger, and shows weakness in the use of force. There is no chance they will achieve victory.”

Lieberman noted that when the current coalition was formed, he predicted it would survive no more than a year and a half. Asked how it nevertheless managed to complete a full term, he argued that it did so at the expense of the Israeli public.

“This is a coalition at the expense of the public. In order to survive, we have seen division and incitement during wartime—division unlike anything the people of Israel have ever experienced. There is only one side here, and that is the side of the prime minister, who is prepared to sacrifice the entire country simply to remain in power. This is a sectoral coalition in which everyone is looking after his own constituency.”

Referring to recent opinion polls, Lieberman expressed confidence that the opposition would ultimately prevail.

“Yesterday we had 59 seats in Channel 12’s poll, and I have seen polls showing 62. They deserve respect, but I trust what I hear on the ground more, and we will form a stable coalition.”

Lieberman also ruled out any possibility of joining a government that depends on Arab parties.

“Certainly not. Without the Arab factions, absolutely. We will not sit with them—not through abstentions and not in a minority government. We will not sit with Netanyahu, and we will not sit with Arab parties. Before the election we will surpass 60 seats with a surplus.”

Asked who should lead a future opposition government, Lieberman declined to rule himself out as a candidate for prime minister.

“First, we need to remove the government of the October 7 massacre. This is the worst government in the history of the State of Israel since 1948. Everything else we will decide afterward. There are many considerations involved in forming a government. Right now I am focused on one mission: bringing down this government. In terms of experience, ability to perform, and understanding the political map, I believe I have an advantage over everyone else, but I am putting that discussion aside for now. I wish everyone success.”

Questioned about his deteriorating relationship with the Chareidi public after years of political cooperation, Lieberman insisted that the change had not come from him.

“Something happened to the other side, not to me. When I hear Rav Yitzchak Yosef saying, ‘If you receive a draft order—tear it up and throw it into the toilet,’ and Rabbi Maya saying, ‘Even someone who does not study Torah may not enlist,’ that is what I hear.”

Lieberman reiterated that any government in which he serves will grant no exemptions to Torah students and criticized Eisenkot’s proposal for limited exemptions.

“There will be no exemptions! Not even a fraction of an exemption! Gadi demonstrated that he lacks experience. Anyone who says there is a contradiction between Torah study and military service does not understand our sources.”

He went on to accuse the Chareidi leadership of repeatedly reneging on agreements.

“I personally brought forward a law that I coordinated with Aryeh Deri and Moshe Gafni, and they helped me pass it in its first reading, but in the end there was not a single time that the Chareidi leadership did not deceive.”

Lieberman then revealed a private conversation he says took place two weeks ago with MK Moshe Gafni, during which Gafni allegedly expressed regret that Lieberman’s 2018 draft law never became law.

“Two weeks ago, Gafni and I were sitting behind the Knesset plenum. He reminded me that in 2018 I told them, ‘One day you will miss this law.’ He told me, ‘How right you were, and how sorry we are,’ but that opportunity is gone.”

Lieberman concluded by pledging that he would refuse to join any coalition that does not require universal military service for Chareidim.

“There will be no exemptions. Either there is one hundred percent enlistment, or there is no government. Period. As clearly as possible.”

At the end of the interview, Lieberman was asked how his close personal friendship with Aryeh Deri had deteriorated into one of the fiercest rivalries in Israeli politics.

“We were excellent friends. When someone is your friend, you expect him to be your friend—not to sell you for ‘a bowl of lentils’ and not to pursue personal interests. Friendship comes before everything. It has nothing to do with politics. It is personal. Friendship is above everything.

“When I expect nothing from someone, I have no problem with him. But he was a close friend—for decades. Something happened that had nothing to do with politics. It was personal. Once the value of friendship is violated, it is very difficult to move forward.”

A wave of joy spread through the Brisk Yeshivah after Rav Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik delivered his first shiur in nearly two months, marking a significant milestone in his ongoing recovery following a prolonged illness.

According to sources, the shiur was delivered Monday at its customary time of 3:30 p.m. in the Rosh Yeshiva‘s home in Yerushalayim. Attendance was kept intentionally small, with only his sons, who have been caring for him throughout his illness, members of the extended Soloveitchik family, and a select group of senior talmidim from the yeshivah invited to participate.

Although Rav Soloveitchik remains connected to an IV and is still in the midst of his recovery, he delivered the shiur from his home. The shiur lasted approximately one hour and ten minutes, only slightly shorter than his regular shiurim, which typically run for about one hour and twenty minutes.

During the shiur, the Rosh Yeshiva shared with those present that his physicians had agreed with his desire to resume teaching Torah, believing that returning to his lifelong routine of delivering shiurim could contribute to rebuilding his strength and aid in his physical recovery.

Rav Soloveitchik also apologized that he is not yet able to resume delivering shiurim to the hundreds of talmidim who normally attend. At this stage, he explained, his medical condition permits him to teach only from his home and only to the small group approved to be present.

{Matzav.com}

Fresh off the passage of the law freezing the arrests of yeshiva bochurim, the Knesset plenum continued its marathon legislative session Tuesday night, shifting its attention to a major kashrus reform bill as lawmakers race to complete key legislation before the Knesset dissolves later this week.

The legislation, sponsored by MK Ohad Tal of the Religious Zionist Party, would eliminate the current framework that allows private kashrus organizations to issue kosher certifications. Under the proposal, exclusive authority to grant kashrus certification would once again rest with Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, authorized local rabbanim, and the Military Rabbinate, where applicable.

In addition to restoring centralized authority over kashrus certification, the bill establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework governing kashrus standards, the status and employment of mashgichim, oversight and appeals procedures, and an annual reporting requirement to the Knesset.

During earlier deliberations in the Committee for Public Initiatives, lawmakers incorporated additional oversight and appeals mechanisms into the legislation. The revised bill also includes provisions regulating the employment of mashgichim, including measures intended to eliminate the direct employment relationship between kashrus supervisors and the businesses they oversee.

Opponents of the legislation argue that concentrating authority in the hands of the Chief Rabbinate would effectively create a monopoly over kashrus certification, reduce competition, and potentially increase costs for business owners.

Coalition officials expect debate on the measure to continue well into the night, with final second- and third-reading votes anticipated shortly after 1:00 a.m. If the bill passes, the Knesset is expected to immediately proceed to debate legislation that would split the responsibilities currently held by Israel’s attorney general.