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WATCH: Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he doesn’t regret the anti-tariff ad featuring Ronald Reagan that has escalated his feud with President Trump.

Sec. Scott Bessent: “We managed to find the money in the middle of October to pay our brave servicemembers, and I think we’ll be able to do it on November 1st, but we’re going to be out of money on November 15th.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that she spoke with US President Trump, and that the two agreed to extend a looming trade deadline for ‘a few more weeks’ to discuss pending issues with Washington

In anticipation of the Million-Man Atzeres, HaGaon Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein discusses fascinating inyanim in halacha connected to the upcoming gathering.

As Klal Yisroel prepares for the massive Atzeres Tefillah to be held this Thursday in Yerushalayim against the gezeirah of drafting bnei yeshiva, HaGaon Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein has issued a series of psakim addressing halachic questions that arise in connection with the atzeres. Among them: when should one daven Minchah—before the atzeres or as part of it? And should bnei chutz la’aretz travel to Eretz Yisroel specifically to participate?

These she’eilos u’teshuvos appear in this week’s issue of Divrei Chemed, which weekly features rulings and insights from the Torah of Rav Zilberstein.

A Gathering of Historic Proportions

Following the kol koreh of the gedolei hador, a massive Atzeres Tefillah will take place this Thursday at the gates of the holy city of Yerushalayim.

The sheer size of such an atzeres naturally raises many halachic questions, particularly regarding the rare bracha of “Chacham HaRazim”—recited upon seeing six hundred thousand Yidden gathered together. This bracha, mentioned in Maseches Berachos (58a) and brought in Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 224:5), praises Hashem as the One “Who knows all secrets,” since no two Jews share the same mind or face, and only Hashem knows the thoughts of each individual.

This bracha was last recited publicly during the Atzeres Kiddush Hashem held in Adar Rishon 5774 (2014), led by Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l, when over six hundred thousand Jews filled the streets in unity and yiras Shamayim.

Can One Rely on an Estimate?

The first she’eilah Rav Zilberstein discusses is whether one may recite the bracha based on an umdena—an estimate—since no one can truly count exactly how many people are present.

He cites his mechutan, Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l, and his brother in law, Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l, who both ruled that an accurate umdena suffices. Rav Chaim explained, before the 5774 atzeres, that if reliable experts say there are six hundred thousand, one may indeed recite the bracha b’Shem u’Malchus.

Must One See All 600,000?

Another she’eilah: Must one physically see all six hundred thousand in order to make the bracha? Rav Zilberstein ruled that even if one sees only part of the kahal, but knows that six hundred thousand are present, he may say the bracha. Hearing the kol of the hamon am and knowing he stands among such a multitude is sufficient.

This, too, was the opinion of Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman and Rav Chaim Kanievsky – seeing part is considered like seeing the whole when the presence of the full crowd is known.

Do Women and Children Count?

Rav Zilberstein further discussed whether women and children count toward the total of six hundred thousand. Rav Chaim Kanievsky ruled that they certainly do. The term Ochlusei Yisroel includes all Jews—men, women, and children—so long as they are united for one purpose of Kiddush Hashem.

Akum obviously do not count, since the gemara specifies “Ochlusei Yisroel.” But even mechallelei Shabbos and those distant from Torah observance still count, since every Yid carries a nitzotz ha’emunah from Har Sinai.

Should One Person Be Motzi the Others?

Another question: should one person recite the bracha on behalf of everyone, or should each person say it individually? Although generally b’rov am hadras Melech, Rav Zilberstein noted that since many will hear the bracha only via loudspeakers, which may not constitute direct hearing, it’s preferable that each person say it for himself. Rav Chaim Kanievsky added that since this is a rare bracha, it is fitting that each individual be zocheh to personally say it, just as we do with Birchas HaChamah.

Should Bnei Chutz La’aretz Come to Eretz Yisroel for the Bracha?

Rav Zilberstein pointed out that according to the Rambam (Hilchos Berachos 10:11), the bracha of Chacham HaRazim is said only in Eretz Yisroel. Rav Chaim Kanievsky explained that this is because only the de’os—the diverse thoughts—of Yidden in Eretz Yisroel are considered de’os chashuvos. Hence, Rav Zilberstein said it is kedai for bnei chutz la’aretz to come to Eretz Yisroel for the atzeres, to be zocheh to this rare bracha b’Shem u’Malchus even according to the Rambam.

If One Said “Chacham Arazim” Instead of “HaRazim”

Rav Zilberstein related a story from the 5774 atzeres of someone who mistakenly said “Chacham Arazim” (“wise among cedars”) instead of “HaRazim.” Rav Zilberstein initially thought he may have fulfilled his obligation, since the sound of the words is similar and he had no negative intent. But Rav Chaim Kanievsky ruled that he had not been yotzei, since arazim and razim are two entirely different words, and the person must repeat the bracha correctly.

When to Daven Minchah, Before or During the Atzeres?

Another common question: should one who usually davens Minchah Gedolah do so before the atzeres, or wait to daven Minchah Ketana b’rov am during the gathering?

Rav Zilberstein cited the Mishnah Berurah (90:28), who writes that tefillah b’rov am is preferable to zerizim makdimin. However, that applies only if one does not have a fixed minyan. If he always davens with a steady minyan, he need not abandon it. But since in this case one is already going to the atzeres, it may be preferable to wait and daven Minchah there b’rov am.

As for davening outdoors, although the Shulchan Aruch cautions against davening in an open place, Rav Zilberstein explained that when thousands of Yidden surround him, the people themselves form a mechitzah, and such a tefillah has great power and zechus.

Answering Amen and Kedushah via Loudspeaker

Finally, Rav Zilberstein addressed whether one may answer Amen, Kedushah, and Chazaras HaShatz through a loudspeaker. He cited Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach in Minchas Shlomo, who held that one does not fulfill obligations through amplified sound. However, others, including the Chazon Ish were unsure.

At the previous atzeres, Rav Shmuel Wosner instructed that the chazzan should articulate every word slowly and clearly so that the entire kahal could follow word for word, enabling them to answer Amen and Kedushah properly.

{Matzav.com}

A New Jersey officer has been charged with misconduct after prosecutors say he didn’t quickly respond to and properly investigate reports of a shooting that turned out to be a double murder, instead stopping at an ATM and pizzeria. Franklin Township Police Sergeant Kevin Bollaro was the on-duty officer on the evening of Aug. 1, […]

Authorities in Minnesota have arrested a man accused of offering money for the assassination of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, after he allegedly posted a threatening message on TikTok that quickly drew federal attention.

According to Fox News, the suspect — identified as Tyler Maxon Avalos of St. Paul — allegedly uploaded a post featuring an image of Bondi alongside the words, “WANTED: Pam Bondi — REWARD: $45,000 — DEAD OR ALIVE (Preferably Dead).” The image appeared to include a red sniper scope dot superimposed on Bondi’s picture.

Investigators say Avalos captioned the disturbing post with the line, “Cough cough. When they don’t serve us, then what?” sparking immediate concern among users who viewed it. A fellow TikTok user reported the video to authorities, prompting a federal investigation that led to Avalos’s arrest last Thursday at a St. Paul apartment complex.

Court documents reveal that Avalos’s background includes a long string of criminal offenses, such as stalking and domestic violence. Fox News added that “His TikTok account, investigators noted, also featured anarchist symbols and links to anti-government literature. His profile also brandished a link to ‘An Anarchist FAQ book,’ according to court filings.”

Federal agents moved swiftly to detain Avalos after uncovering what they described as clear threats of violence against a federal official. The Justice Department confirmed that Avalos now faces multiple federal charges tied to the incident.

Despite her critics, Bondi has remained active in national law enforcement initiatives. Though Ty Cobb — a critic of President Donald Trump and one-time White House special counsel — recently claimed that Bondi is the most “reprehensible” person to hold that office, she continues to collaborate with agencies across the country to combat rising crime.

Recent data released by Bondi, reported by Breitbart News, highlight major improvements in crime reduction tied to federal-state cooperation. She also issued a stern warning to Democratic officials who have been threatening Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents tasked with enforcing deportation laws.

As Breitbart explained, “The coordinated federal pushback is a response to the massive resistance from Democrats to the enforced deportation of millions of illegal migrants.” The outlet continued, “Progressive Democrats defend the migrants because they cannot agree to recognize the civic distinction between citizens and economic migrants. This resistance is backed by local business groups, which use the migrants to provide cheap services — such as food delivery — to the upper-income customers who are a critical part of the Democrats’ voting bloc and donor base.”

Authorities have not released further details on Avalos’s motives or potential accomplices, but officials emphasized that any threats against federal officials will be treated with the utmost seriousness.

{Matzav.com}

Senator Lindsey Graham voiced alarm over President Donald Trump’s proposed Gaza ceasefire framework, arguing that the initiative could end up reinforcing Hamas instead of dismantling it.

In a lengthy post on social media, Graham aligned himself with King Abdullah of Jordan’s recent critique of the peace proposal, echoing the monarch’s skepticism toward deploying an international security force to disarm Hamas. “To expect an international force to go to war with Hamas to require their disarmament is unrealistic. To expect Hamas to disarm without the threat of confrontation is unrealistic,” Graham stated.

The South Carolina senator stressed that Hamas appears to be entrenching its control rather than moving toward peace. Referring to remarks made by King Abdullah during an interview with BBC Panorama, Graham wrote, “It is my growing belief that Hamas is not going to disarm but instead is in the process of consolidating power in Gaza by attacking those who would oppose them.”

Graham cautioned that the situation was only deteriorating under the current plan. “Under the current approach, every day that goes by allows Hamas to get stronger and more lethal,” he warned. “The world needs to understand that Israel cannot tolerate this outcome. If Israel feels it needs to re-engage in Gaza to finish Hamas off, they have my full support.”

King Abdullah, in his BBC interview, raised serious doubts about the role any peacekeeping or enforcement contingent could play. “If it’s peace enforcing, nobody will want to touch that,” he said, explaining that while Jordan and Egypt were open to helping train Palestinian police, most nations would reject sending combat troops into Gaza.

According to Trump’s 20-point plan, Hamas must lay down its weapons and surrender political control of Gaza. The proposal envisions a multinational stabilization force that would train Palestinian police under the coordination of Egypt and Jordan.

However, on the ground, there has been no sign that Hamas intends to comply. Instead, reports indicate that the terror group has been expanding its arsenal. In response, Israel has launched a series of airstrikes targeting Hamas operatives, while other militant factions continue to clash with Israeli troops in several parts of Gaza.

{Matzav.com}

The Israeli Police have given their final approval for a massive protest to be held Thursday afternoon at the entrance to Yerushalayim, in response to the continued imprisonment of yeshivah bochurim, including talmidim from Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo, among them Ariel Shamai. The event, which organizers are calling a “million-man march,” is expected to draw hundreds […]

Kan News has released what is believed to be the final footage of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, recorded just days before he was killed in 2024.

The video, aired Monday night, captures the mastermind of the October 7 massacre in a rare and vulnerable moment. Sinwar appears visibly weakened, wrapped in a blanket and leaning on a cane as he hurries to flee intense Israeli bombardment in Gaza.

According to the report, the footage was taken only a short time before the IDF located and eliminated the Hamas chief, ending one of the most extensive manhunts in Israel’s history.

The images provide a striking final glimpse of the man responsible for orchestrating the deadliest terror attack in Israel’s history—no longer the defiant leader seen in propaganda videos, but a fugitive struggling to survive as Israeli forces closed in.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

A new Israel Democracy Institute poll shows overwhelming public belief that U.S. President Donald Trump played a leading role in securing the Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal. Conducted online October 19–21, about 10 days after the truce took effect, the survey found 95% of Israelis credit Trump — including 97% of Jewish Israelis and 86.5% […]

Rav Yaakov Ariel, one of the senior rabbonim of the Religious Zionist community and the longtime former Chief Rabbi of Ramat Gan, called for calm following the recent controversy surrounding remarks made by Rav Yitzchak Yosef about Rav Tamir Granot. He expressed his belief that the comments were not deliberate and that Rav Yosef likely regrets them deeply.

“We’re talking about a great man and a great halachic authority, an outstanding talmid chochom — the Rishon LeTzion,” said Rav Ariel. He added that these were “words I’m not sure he doesn’t regret.”

Rav Ariel explained that even great people can sometimes speak in a way that they later wish they hadn’t. “Sometimes a person utters words that he should not have said, and he himself regrets having said them,” he said. Emphasizing Rav Yosef’s immense Torah stature, he continued, “But sometimes people make mistakes and stumble with their words. This was a slip of the tongue.”

When asked if the comments could be seen as an attack on the Religious Zionist Torah world as a whole, Rav Ariel firmly dismissed the idea. “I believe he regrets what he said,” he stated, urging that the remarks be viewed as a passing incident rather than something divisive.

The uproar began after Radio Kol Chai aired a recording of Rav Yosef criticizing Rav Tamir Granot, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Orot Shaul in Tel Aviv and father of Captain Amitai Granot Hy”d, who was killed in battle. Rav Yosef’s sharp remarks came in response to statements Rav Granot had made calling for the enlistment of chareidim into the IDF.

“They attacked me, several heads of yeshivos. There’s one rabbi – I don’t know if he’s a rabbi – Granot, head of a Hesder yeshiva. How he spoke on television against us. Aren’t you afraid of insulting Torah scholars? The Gemara asks, how shall we know who is an apikores [heretic]? Someone who says, ‘What do the yeshiva students benefit?’ He says – everyone to the army. Why should all of us go to the army? We learn Torah. Just as there is the Air Force, there is God’s force, who sit and engage in Torah and defend all the people of Israel. He attacked me. I think there are some of them that if they come to join the minyan, we will not include them in the count. They are in the category of apikorus. Not everyone.”

The remarks quickly drew criticism from several public figures, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Tzohar head Rav David Stav.

{Matzav.com}

Egyptian archaeologists recently uncovered the remains of an ancient fortress built along the historic road mentioned in Sefer Shemos — the very route described in the Torah as the shorter path from Mitzrayim to Eretz Canaan. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the find on October 11, noting that the fortress was discovered […]

Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, who has styled herself as a fighter for civil rights and social justice, reportedly maintained a secret portfolio of undisclosed investments and dabbled in a failed cannabis business, according to a new exposé.

A Washington Free Beacon investigation by Andrew Kerr revealed that Crockett “owned stocks in at least 25 companies that she did not disclose to the public during her first congressional run in 2022, even though she’d quietly admitted to the holdings the previous year as a Texas state legislator,” and that she similarly failed to report them after being elected to Congress. The records were uncovered through a public records request.

Among her investments were shares in major corporations such as Amazon, AstraZeneca, General Motors, ExxonMobil, Aurora Cannabis, and Ford. The outlet noted that several of these companies “stood to benefit from actions she’s taken as a lawmaker and legislation she’s introduced in Congress, and others that stand in opposition to the image she’s cultivated as a champion of green energy.”

The report also exposed Crockett’s attempt to enter the marijuana business. Described as a self-proclaimed civil rights attorney, she reportedly sought to open cannabis dispensaries in Ohio — a venture that ultimately failed. The story added that she did so while representing a defendant accused of murder during a botched marijuana deal. Despite this troubling overlap, Crockett has remained an outspoken advocate for decriminalizing marijuana, both during her time in the Texas legislature and now in Washington.

Her public messaging on cannabis reform has been consistent, if controversial. “Representatives from both parties have filed some great bills that will reduce penalties for possession and expand the Texas Compassionate Use Program. But don’t forget — our goal is full recreational & medical cannabis,” she wrote in a 2021 post, adding that cannabis reform is a “joint effort.”

Crockett’s views on crime have also sparked debate. In September, she insisted that committing a crime “doesn’t make them a criminal” because it depended on the person’s “mindset,” a remark that drew heavy criticism across social media.

The Free Beacon further reported that Crockett has claimed to be financially self-reliant and has “never been married,” though her financial dealings appear to contradict the populist image she projects. The publication suggested that her private investments and public stances reveal a pattern of self-interest at odds with her progressive persona.

Crockett’s public feud with President Donald Trump has also made headlines. Trump previously branded her and other far-left Democrats as “political hacks” and suggested they undergo cognitive testing.

{Matzav.com}

With Election Day just days away, a new Suffolk University poll shows Zohran Mamdani still ahead in New York City’s heated mayoral race — but Andrew Cuomo is closing the gap fast.

Mamdani, the 34-year-old progressive firebrand from Queens who stunned the political world in June by beating Cuomo and nine others for the Democratic nomination, leads with 44% of likely voters. Cuomo, now running as an Independent after his primary loss, follows with 34%.

The poll, conducted from Thursday through Sunday, came right after outgoing Mayor Eric Adams threw his support behind Cuomo. Adams, who had been running as an independent before bowing out last month, remains on the ballot but has urged his supporters to unite behind the ex-governor.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa — running once again as the GOP’s pick — trails with 11%. Four minor candidates combine for 2%, while 7% remain undecided and another 2% declined to answer.

Mamdani’s current edge over Cuomo has shrunk sharply from September, when Suffolk found him up by 20 points. David Paleologos, director of Suffolk’s Political Research Center, noted that “Cuomo’s biggest gains” have come from Hispanic voters and independents.

As Election Day nears, Cuomo has gone on the offensive, warning that “mayhem” would follow a Mamdani victory. He’s also attacked Mamdani over his faith, accusing him of using his religion as a shield from criticism. Cuomo has charged that Mamdani’s rhetoric about Israel and Gaza is “antisemitic,” saying the candidate “has offended Jewish New Yorkers.”

Mamdani, striking back, called the attacks bigoted and desperate. “We’re speaking about a former governor who, in his final moments in public life, is engaging in rhetoric that is not only Islamophobic, not only racist, it’s also disgusting,” he said.

Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on Sliwa to bow out to consolidate anti-Mamdani votes behind Cuomo. Among those pushing him to withdraw is billionaire businessman and radio host John Catsimatidis, a close ally of President Donald Trump.

Pollsters say Sliwa’s supporters could prove decisive — they favor Cuomo over Mamdani by a 36%–2% margin when asked for a second choice. “There is only one person in New York City whose voters will determine the outcome,” said Paleologos. “And that person isn’t Mayor Adams, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer, or any New York billionaire. It’s Republican Curtis Sliwa and his voters who hold the 11% blocking Cuomo from winning the race. Politics has its ironies.”

If Mamdani prevails, he would make history as New York City’s first Muslim and first Millennial mayor. Born in Uganda and raised in Queens, Mamdani’s rise has been fueled by a grassroots movement centered on affordability and social reform. His campaign has been powered by progressive stars like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Using social media to rally younger and lower-turnout voters, Mamdani has pitched sweeping changes: fare-free buses, tuition-free CUNY, rent freezes for public housing, free childcare for young families, and government-operated grocery stores.

His opponents have blasted those proposals as reckless and extreme, citing not only their cost but his sharp criticism of Israel and the NYPD. Mamdani has called for transferring some police responsibilities to social programs and neighborhood-based initiatives — a stance that has energized his base while alienating many moderates.

The final week of campaigning promises to be fierce, with Cuomo’s comeback effort intensifying and Mamdani’s movement fighting to hold its lead in a city long shaped by political drama and divided loyalties.

{Matzav.com}

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In an extraordinary show of solidarity, more than 5,000 children from Ateres Shlomo institutions across the country were transported on Monday to the gates of Military Prison 10 near Beit Lid to protest the continued detention of yeshiva student Ariel Shamai, who remains confined under harsh conditions.

The protest was organized under the guidance of the rosh yeshiva, Rav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin, following consultation with Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch. Each child wore a yellow sun hat emblazoned with the image of the “captured” bochur and joined in heartfelt tefillos led by the maggid, Rav Yisroel Meir Shoshan, who urged them to cry out to Heaven for the young man’s swift release.

Rav Shoshan addressed the unusual step of bringing children to a public demonstration, explaining that normally nothing is allowed to interrupt talmud Torah shel tinokos shel beis rabban. “But here,” he said, “the Torah itself is being humiliated. When Torah is under attack, even the youngest children must come forth to daven and beg for rachamei Shamayim to annul the gezeirah.”

Rav Sorotzkin then delivered what many described as his “Hostage Speech,” drawing a powerful parallel between Shamai’s plight and the national campaign for the hostages taken in Gaza.

“We are fighting for their survival—for the existence of Am Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel,” the rosh yeshiva declared passionately. “There were those who questioned why we use the same symbolism as the hostage campaign, claiming that we are appropriating it for Ariel Shamai, who was ‘abducted’ to prison and torn away from his place of learning. I want to explain one thing: don’t think the hostages were only yours. The hostages were ours too—perhaps even more ours than yours. We cared about them. Our gedolei Torah and bnei Torah couldn’t sleep in beds while they were captive. We cared, we davened for them, we learned for them. Don’t appoint yourselves as guardians over what doesn’t belong to you. It was through our tefillos and limud Torah that the great miracles happened.”

He continued, “Am Yisroel triumphs in ways that defy nature—because of the kol Yaakov, the voice of Torah. Let me be clear: we don’t, chas v’shalom, wish to hurt anyone. Everyone is beloved. But we must make it understood once and for all: to disconnect us from Torah is like cutting off the oxygen of a sick man—it severs us from the very source of life.”

Rav Sorotzkin also shared a moving detail from his conversation with Shamai, recounting that the bochur wept when he told him that his friends were learning Perek Chezkats HaBatim while he sat in prison, far from the beis medrash.

A letter written by Shamai from within the military jail was also read aloud:

“To the precious bnei yeshiva, the rosh yeshiva and all the rabbonim: I was deeply moved to hear how much you care about me and by the letters you sent. With Hashem’s help, we’ll get through this difficult time.”

He wrote further:

“While I sit here in prison, I feel the emptiness of being away from the yeshiva. You must know how elevated you are—the difference between you and them is beyond measure. The nobility and happiness that comes with Torah life can’t be compared to anything outside. Out there, everything is empty, false, fleeting. They are pitiful and lost, while you, bnei Torah, live true, joyful lives of purpose. With tefillah, we’ll merit great yeshuos. May we sanctify Hashem’s Name and soon see the geulah shleimah.”

As the emotional rally drew to a close, the children released balloons into the sky, singing, before returning to their cheder classrooms.

{Matzav.com}

After he was interviewed on Jewish far-right commentator Laura Loomer’s show, Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) told JNS that he received a letter from the Qatari ambassador to Washington stating that his “observations about Qatar” are inaccurate.

“You said that Qatar ‘funds most of the institutions that are damaging’ the United States, adding that Qatar is ‘responsible for’ protests on U.S. college campuses,” Meshal Al Thani wrote in the letter, dated Oct. 22.

“Qatar condemns antisemitism and all forms of religious and ethnic intolerance,” the envoy wrote. “Qatar had no role in the recent unrest on U.S. college campuses, and there is no evidence to the contrary.”

“I do not expect everyone to be ‘a fan of Qatar,’ as you put it,” the ambassador wrote. “We expect only to be judged on the basis of accurate information.”

Fine told JNS that “the Qataris have come after me for years, and I think that their efforts to fund all of these organizations that have come after me have not worked.”

“I guess they decided to try to engage me directly,” said the Florida Republican, who is Jewish.

The Qatari envoy also responded to the congressman’s statement that it is dangerous to let Qatari fighter pilots train on U.S. soil. “I assume you did not intend your remarks to be understood as a categorical fear of Muslims,” Al Thani wrote. He added that many Muslims live in Florida, including in Fine’s district.

Fine told JNS that his staff believes that the Qatari embassy has invited him to prior events. “I’m not aware of any previous contact to me directly,” he said. “I’ve had two death threats from Muslims that are inspired by much of the stuff that the Qataris pay for.”

Fine told JNS that he stands by his statements.

“Fear of Islam is rational. Islamophobia is a lie, as phobia implies irrational fear,” he said. “If you speak to anyone with half a brain and they hear someone yelling ‘Allahu akbar’ on the street, they’re going to look for somewhere to hide.”

Fine said that Qatar funds the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which has attacked him, and that Josh Weil, his Democratic opponent in March’s special election for a vacant House seat, accepted Qatari funding through the ActBlue platform.

“Look at my Democrat opponent when I ran for office, who came up with $15 million—an unheard of amount. No one can figure out where the money came from,” Fine said. “Where do you think it came from? I know where I think it came from.”

No evidence has been published suggesting that Doha funded Fine’s political opponents.

Qatar has been routinely accused of supporting terrorism, including by its Arab neighbors. The Al Jazeera television network, which the Qatari government owns and controls, has a documented history of disseminating Jew-hatred and of glorifying terrorists and employing Hamas operatives, who have posed as journalists.

Israel and several Arab countries have banned the network.

The Qatari defense minister once stated that “we are all Hamas,” and the Qatari government has long harbored Hamas leaders in luxury hotels in Doha.

Hamad Al-Muftah, Qatar’s deputy chief of mission in Washington, has pushed back aggressively on criticism of Qatar. In recent days, he accused Wall Street Journal editorial board member Elliot Kaufman, an Orthodox Jew, of accepting money from the Israeli government for criticizing Al-Muftah’s defense of a Harvard University fellow accused of supporting terrorism.

Al-Muftah cited a debunked report that Israel pays influencers $7,000 per social media post to back the Jewish state.

Fine told JNS that Al-Muftah’s claim about Kaufman left him “sort of stunned.”

“For a Qatari diplomat to trot that out, I mean, that’s just made up,” the congressman said. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich pushed back sharply at the backlash over his recent “the Saudis can keep riding camels” remark, which drew widespread condemnation before he issued an apology. Speaking at Monday’s Religious Zionism faction meeting, Smotrich said the outrage should be directed at Saudi Arabia, not him.

“Where were you when, for two years, the Saudis accused IDF soldiers of genocide and starvation? When they supported legal proceedings against Israel in international courts and backed arrest warrants for the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister? That’s a thousand times more insulting than an unplanned, not-so-graceful remark by Israel’s finance minister,” he said, pointing out that the kingdom has long promoted anti-Israel rhetoric.

Smotrich accused Riyadh of hypocrisy and of participating in antisemitic discourse. “The Saudis have said much more offensive things about us. They’ve taken part in antisemitic rhetoric – and no one demanded that they apologize. They call for tearing the State of Israel in two and for establishing a terrorist state in our midst. But that’s fine, apparently. They’re allowed.”

With biting sarcasm, he added, “So I made an unfortunate comment – oh dear, we offended the Saudis! How terrible, who will ever recover from this.”

Turning to broader regional issues, Smotrich stressed that while he supports expanding peace agreements, it must be grounded in integrity rather than political pressure. “We believe in peace, but not at any price. We will expand the agreements and deepen cooperation, but we will insist on a basic principle – peace for peace. A genuine peace based on truth, not on the lie of creating a terrorist state that would endanger our future and our existence. No one – and I emphasize, no one – is doing us a favor by normalizing relations with us or joining the Abraham Accords.”

He emphasized that Israel’s commitment to peace remains unchanged but warned against external conditions. “We have always extended a hand in peace, and we continue to do so,” he said. “But we will not accept any country in the world imposing conditions on us involving the partition of the land, the relinquishment of parts of our homeland, or denial of our heritage and roots.”

Addressing economic matters, Smotrich shifted to the defense budget, insisting on fiscal restraint despite ongoing security needs. “The defense establishment will be required to become more efficient and return to a reasonable budget. Yes, the budget will remain higher than before the war – that’s natural – but it cannot continue growing without limit. Economic security is an inseparable part of national security,” he concluded.

{Matzav.com}