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The Justice Department has launched the first-ever case before the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, seeking to revoke the permanent residency of a 47-year-old Afghan woman from Texas whose son and son-in-law were previously convicted in connection with an ISIS-inspired plot to carry out a mass shooting on Election Day in 2024.

Federal prosecutors filed the unprecedented petition against Nazira Haji Zada of Fort Worth on July 15. Authorities arrested her shortly before a public hearing scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday in Washington, D.C.

According to court records, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche approved the application on June 30. Chief Judge Joan N. Ericksen, a federal judge from Minnesota who oversees the tribunal, later determined there was probable cause for the case to proceed to a public hearing.

The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was established under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, but until now had never been used. According to the Federal Judicial Center, no previous administration had ever filed a petition before the specialized court.

The tribunal consists of five federal district judges from different judicial circuits who serve staggered five-year terms after being appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States. The Chief Justice is also authorized to appoint judges who serve on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

Under the court’s procedures, judges are permitted to examine classified evidence in private, while the individual facing removal receives only an unclassified summary. Any appeal is heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

That framework is a key element of the government’s legal strategy.

In a Justice Department statement, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said the court exists because “The court reflects the recognition that the government should not have to choose between allowing a dangerous alien to remain in the United States and disclosing sensitive classified information.”

Haji Zada herself has not been criminally charged.

However, prosecutors allege in an unclassified filing that she pledged loyalty to the Islamic State, helped instill the group’s ideology in her children, and concealed the family’s plan to relocate to ISIS-controlled territory from her husband, who entered the United States under a visa program created for Afghan allies of American forces.

Her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, who was arrested at age 17 but prosecuted as an adult, received the maximum 15-year prison sentence in November 2025 and agreed that he would be deported to Afghanistan after completing his sentence.

Her son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, pleaded guilty in June 2025 to providing material support to ISIS and to firearms offenses after purchasing two AK-47-style rifles and 500 rounds of ammunition from an undercover FBI agent.

Attorneys representing Haji Zada through the federal public defender’s office have indicated they intend to challenge the legality of the tribunal itself.

“This entire scheme is in violation of due process and is unconstitutional,” public defender Matthew Farley told the court, according to NPR.

To prevail, the government must establish by a preponderance of the evidence that Haji Zada qualifies as an alien terrorist under the statute, a standard that would permit her removal from the United States.

Legal observers say Thursday’s proceedings are expected to establish the blueprint for how the previously unused tribunal—and its procedures for handling classified national security evidence—will operate in future terrorism-related deportation cases.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has introduced a new online cooking program designed to teach Americans how to make nutritious, low-cost meals using fresh, whole-food ingredients.

The debut episode of “The Real Food Show” was released Thursday on YouTube and features Kennedy teaming up with celebrity chef Andrew Gruel to prepare crispy salmon cakes served with apples, white beans, and a green salad.

According to Kennedy, the series will travel to communities across the country, where he will collaborate with chefs to showcase wholesome recipes that are easy to prepare, widely available, and affordable for families.

The new program expands on the updated federal nutrition guidelines Kennedy unveiled earlier this year, which encourage diets centered on vegetables, fruits, protein, dairy products, and healthy fats while discouraging the consumption of highly processed foods, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates.

Kennedy said improving Americans’ diets could play a major role in reducing chronic disease and rejected the common argument that eating whole, unprocessed foods is significantly more expensive than relying on processed meals.

The launch comes as Americans continue to face higher food costs, with both grocery and restaurant prices increasing 0.2% between May and June, according to the Consumer Price Index.

Speaking with USA Today, Kennedy said the purpose of the show is to demonstrate that preparing healthy meals can be both practical and affordable, without costing more than less nutritious alternatives.

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that an agreement has been reached to completely disarm Hamas and every other armed terrorist group in the Gaza Strip, calling it a landmark achievement that he said will pave the way for a new governing authority in Gaza and lasting security for Israel.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump revealed that the international Board of Peace had finalized what he described as a breakthrough diplomatic agreement to bring about the total demilitarization of Gaza’s terrorist organizations.

Celebrating the development, Trump wrote, “Today, the Board of Peace reached a HISTORIC agreement for the COMPLETE DISARMAMENT of Hamas and all other armed groups in Gaza. This is a monumental step toward lasting PEACE and SECURITY.”

He said the agreement would allow Gaza to transition to a new governing body while ending the territory’s use as a launching pad for terrorism against Israel.

“This agreement is a critical step towards Gaza finally being governed by a new Palestinian government that will work closely with the Board of Peace to help the Palestinian people. At the same time, Israel will have the security it deserves, with Gaza no longer used as a base for terror attacks,” Trump wrote.

Trump explained that the accord is a key component of his broader regional peace initiative, saying implementation will occur in multiple stages. As terrorist groups surrender their weapons, Israeli forces will gradually leave Gaza, while an International Stabilization Force, working alongside a newly established Palestinian police force, assumes responsibility for maintaining order and protecting civilians.

Describing the agreement’s role in his broader Middle East strategy, Trump said it marks “a major milestone in the implementation of the Trump 20-Point Plan. The agreement will be carried out in carefully structured phases. As disarmament is completed, Israeli forces will withdraw, and the International Stabilization Force will work with a new Palestinian police force to take responsibility for Gaza being safe for its residents and its neighbors.”

Trump also reflected on how dramatically conditions have changed since the height of the war, contrasting today’s diplomatic progress with the violence that gripped the region a year ago.

“One year ago there was a violent raging war, humanitarian crisis and hostages kept in brutal captivity. We have made historic progress and there is still much work to do,” he noted.

The president expressed appreciation to the countries that helped broker the negotiations, along with members of his own administration who participated in the diplomatic effort.

“I want to thank the mediators – Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye – for their important efforts, and especially my outstanding team, whose tireless work made this historic breakthrough possible,” he shared.

Trump also made clear that the terrorist threat which emerged from Gaza before the October 7 attack would not be permitted to return.

“The threat that emerged from Gaza on October 7 will NOT be allowed to rebuild!”

Emphasizing his vision for Gaza’s future, Trump said the territory would ultimately be governed by leaders focused on serving the Palestinian population rather than terrorist organizations.

“Under this agreement, Gaza will finally be in the hands of a new Palestinian government that serves its PEOPLE.”

He concluded his announcement with a celebratory message marking what he described as an unprecedented diplomatic achievement.

“CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL ON THIS AMAZING DEVELOPMENT, THAT EVERYBODY SAID COULD NEVER BE ACHIEVED!”

Trump’s announcement came just hours after Israel’s Channel 13 News reported that Hamas had conveyed to the White House its willingness to accept a ceasefire lasting between 10 and 15 years.

According to the report, Hamas leaders drafted a letter in English addressed to President Trump, stating that they would be prepared to honor an agreement and disarm if Israel agreed to a lengthy ceasefire, halted targeted strikes against senior Hamas leaders, and gradually withdrew its military forces from the Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials dismissed the reported proposal, characterizing it as Hamas “spin” and insisting that the group’s reported demands do not align with the framework negotiated under Trump’s peace initiative last October.

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is considering temporarily withdrawing Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to become attorney general permanently rather than negotiating with Republican senators who are demanding changes to agreements involving the president’s family business and financial arrangements reached with the Justice Department.

Despite the nomination dispute, Trump made clear he remains firmly committed to Blanche, his former personal attorney, praising him as “a STAR” and indicating he is prepared to keep him serving as acting attorney general until Republican Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina are no longer in the Senate.

“I have no objection to temporarily withdrawing Todd’s name,” Trump posted on his social media site. “If they do not do the right thing, and putting him back after Cornyn and Tillis are out of office.”

Cornyn and Tillis, both of whom are scheduled to leave office next year, have insisted on receiving written guarantees confirming the permanent termination of the “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which was established as part of the settlement resolving Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service.

Trump’s remarks followed the Senate Judiciary Committee’s decision to delay a scheduled Thursday vote on Blanche’s nomination. Cornyn and Tillis, both members of the committee, have refused to support advancing the nomination until Blanche provides written assurances addressing concerns over the controversial IRS settlement that granted President Trump and members of his family protections from future tax audits.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF carried out a major overnight operation in southern Lebanon early Thursday, destroying a vast Hezbollah tunnel complex near the Beaufort Ridge that Israeli officials say was a key part of the terror group’s long-term plan to infiltrate and attack communities throughout the Galilee.

In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the underground network played a central role in Hezbollah’s strategy to invade Israeli towns in northern Israel.

The statement said the military used roughly 700 tons of explosives to demolish the extensive tunnel system as part of its continued campaign to eliminate Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

Israeli officials added that the operation was launched after Hezbollah committed what they described as a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement.

Netanyahu and Katz reiterated that Israel will respond forcefully to any future violations. “Any attempt by Hezbollah to target IDF forces or Israeli civilians will be met with a harsh and powerful response that will exact a heavy toll on the terror organization,” the statement read.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit also announced the operation, stating, “A short while ago, as part of a limited activity within the area of the Security Zone, IDF soldiers dismantled several key underground tunnels beneath the Beaufort Ridge.”

According to the military, the underground facility functioned as a primary command center where Hezbollah commanders and operatives coordinated combat operations and directed attacks against Israeli troops and civilians.

The IDF said the sprawling tunnel complex represented one of Hezbollah’s most significant strategic strongholds. Built over approximately two decades and stretching across multiple underground levels, it served as the central command center for Hezbollah’s Bader Unit in southern Lebanon. Israeli officials said the project was financed and planned by the Iranian regime.

“The tunnel network posed a threat to the residents of northern Israel and IDF soldiers, as it was located just 6 kilometers away from the area of Metula and the Galilee Panhandle. Over the course of the war, dozens of UAVs, explosive devices, and anti-tank missiles were launched from this infrastructure toward Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Tonight, the IDF dismantled a significant portion of the underground tunnel network,” it continued.

The military said preparations for the demolition had been underway for weeks. “Over the past several weeks,” the IDF statement continued, “IDF soldiers completed their deployment in the area of the Beaufort Ridge, while maintaining operational control of the underground tunnel network and preparing it for dismantling.”

The IDF emphasized that its forces remain fully prepared for any escalation along the northern front. “IDF soldiers continue to operate in the area of Ali Taher Ridge, remain on high alert, and are prepared for both defensive and offensive scenarios. Attacks on IDF soldiers will be responded to accordingly.”

Reaffirming Israel’s position on the ceasefire, the military concluded, “The IDF continues to remain committed to the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon and will continue to operate to remove any threat posed to IDF soldiers.”

Hours before the controlled explosions began, authorities notified residents across northern Israel that loud blasts would likely be heard between 11:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. because of planned military activity in the area.

Because of the enormous amount of explosives used, residents of Metula and Misgav Am were instructed to keep their windows open to reduce the risk of shattered glass from the shockwaves. Officials emphasized that there was no change in the overall security situation and that no additional safety directives were issued for surrounding communities.

{Matzav.com}

Michael Cohen is joining the growing list of New Yorkers outraged after receiving a city notice warning that he could be hit with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s controversial new pied-à-terre tax unless he proves his Manhattan apartment is his primary residence.

Cohen, who once served as President Trump’s longtime fixer, told The Post that he was stunned when a letter arrived earlier this week directing him to verify that his condominium at Trump Park Avenue on the Upper East Side is his main home or risk paying tens of thousands of dollars in additional taxes.

“I have been paying NYC property taxes for 34 years,” he fumed to The Post on Thursday. “I’m registered as a voter here yet now I have to go through the exercise in demonstrating to the city that I’m a resident.”

Beyond objecting to the notice itself, Cohen said he is deeply troubled by the amount of personal information City Hall is demanding from homeowners, particularly under an administration he believes has made wealthy residents a political target.

“I’m extremely concerned about submitting this information to a democratic socialist who has campaigned and continues to campaign on taking dollars out of the pockets of wealthy New Yorkers or anyone he perceives to be wealthy,” Cohen said, adding that numerous neighbors in his building also received identical letters.

The city recently began mailing notices to tens of thousands of property owners, instructing them to establish that their homes are primary residences or face liability under the new tax approved by Mayor Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul as part of this year’s state budget.

The tax applies to second homes valued at $5 million or more, as well as vacant condominiums and co-ops worth at least $1 million that are not used as primary residences.

Because condominium and co-op tax rates range from 4% to 6.5%, Cohen estimates he could be forced to pay nearly $50,000 annually if the city mistakenly classifies his apartment as a second home.

As previously reported by The Post, homeowners seeking to avoid the tax must complete a lengthy verification process and provide documentation proving where they primarily live.

Among the requested documents is a recently filed federal or state tax return, a requirement Cohen said crossed the line.

“Who would give their tax returns?” he incredulously asked. “This is beyond abnormal.”

Although the city says applicants may instead submit alternative proof, such as a driver’s license, Cohen said the online portal would not allow him to complete the process without uploading his tax return, describing the website as difficult to navigate.

He also objected to the city’s request for the Social Security numbers of every person residing in the apartment.

In cases where a property is owned through a trust or limited liability company, the city also requires copies of trust documents or an affidavit from the trustee or managing member affirming that the property serves as the owner’s primary residence.

Cohen said his apartment in the historic former Hotel Delmonico is held in a trust, explaining that the arrangement protects the property from potential lawsuits or judgments while also helping ensure a smooth transfer of assets to his children.

The extensive personal information requested by the city has also raised concerns for Cohen about how securely the data will be stored and who may ultimately have access to it. Cohen, who has since repaired his relationship with President Trump after serving as a key witness in the 2023 New York business fraud case, questioned whether the city can adequately safeguard such sensitive records.

“Who is going to have access to this information and use it?” he said. “Will the people in the administration all have access and where is it going to sit? Is it a secured website?”

His concerns intensified after the Mamdani administration this week published a searchable online database listing the names and addresses of property owners whose homes could be subject to the new tax.

The public release of that information sparked widespread backlash from residents who argued the database unnecessarily exposed homeowners’ personal information and created potential security risks.

“It was very disconcerting to see my name listed and to see many of my neighbors,” employment labor attorney Carolyn Richmond told The NY Post.

Calling the database an effort to publicly embarrass successful New Yorkers, Richmond said the list is an attempt at “shaming everyone in this city who has worked hard to succeed.”

{Matzav.com}

The U.S. Army has revealed a sophisticated new electronic warfare system known as the “Hammer of the Gods,” a portable platform built to throw enemy precision-guided weapons off course by disrupting the signals they rely on to accurately strike their targets.

Designed for covert deployment aboard U.S. military vessels, the advanced system interferes with the guidance technology used by long-range artillery, cruise missiles, and other precision munitions, dramatically reducing their ability to hit intended targets.

While the Army has spent the past two years evaluating land-based versions of the technology, officials said a successful demonstration conducted earlier this month off the West Coast marked the system’s first maritime test.

The Hammer of the Gods functions by jamming positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) signals—the critical data modern precision weapons depend on for accurate navigation.

Once those PNT signals are disrupted, advanced missiles and guided projectiles lose the information needed to stay on course, making them significantly more likely to miss their targets and slowing down enemy operations.

In addition to disrupting hostile weapons, the platform includes its own communications network, allowing U.S. and allied forces to maintain reliable communications even while the jamming system is active or in environments where normal communications have been compromised.

Army officials told Fox News that the recent maritime trial demonstrated the system’s ability to be successfully deployed, operated, and recovered under realistic sea-based conditions.

The unveiling of the Hammer of the Gods is the latest in a series of advanced military technologies the United States has showcased in recent months.

Earlier this year, during the dramatic rescue of a U.S. Air Force officer who had been shot down over Iran, intelligence officials relied on a previously undisclosed CIA technology called “Ghost Murmur,” which they said located the stranded airman by remotely detecting his heartbeat.

The highly advanced system combines nitrogen-vacancy center (NV) diamonds—capable of sensing tiny magnetic fields—with artificial intelligence that filters out surrounding interference, allowing human heartbeats to be detected even from the air.

Officials have not disclosed the distance from which Ghost Murmur located the downed pilot, but University of Wisconsin-Madison physics professor Thad Walker said that identifying a heartbeat from as far as 100 meters away would be an “astounding” achievement.

President Trump praised the breakthrough technology during a phone call with The Post, saying, “Nobody even knows what that is. Nobody has ever heard of it before,” before suggesting that the U.S. possesses even more classified capabilities that remain hidden from public view.

“We have many other things that nobody has ever heard about. We have equipment the likes of which nobody has ever even thought about,” he intimated.

Dear Matzav Inbox,

A new Skver shtiebel opened this past Shabbos in the Nanuet–New City area.

According to Rockland Daily, the shtiebel was established after several Skver families moved into the neighborhood and was opened with the encouragement and bracha of the Skverer Rebbe. It is reportedly the ninth Skver shtiebel serving families throughout the greater Monsey area.

Under normal circumstances, there would be nothing objectionable about that. Yidden should be free to purchase homes legally, establish shuls, educate their children and build communities wherever the law allows.

But New Square’s leadership has demanded that the same freedom not be extended to everyone else.

Remember the Letter

Years ago, New Square’s leadership issued a letter asking Orthodox Jewish families not to purchase homes within approximately one mile of the village.

The explanation was explicit.

New Square needed to remain an “isolated corner” and a “secluded shtetl.” The letter warned that if other frum families moved too close, Skver children could be exposed to different standards of business, shopping and tznius, threatening the community’s supposed “high level of purity.”

The message was unmistakable:

Stay away from us.

Do not move near us.

Do not allow your families, institutions and children to come too close to ours.

We must remain isolated. We must remain separate. We must remain pure.

Yet today, Skver families are being encouraged to move directly into the established neighborhoods of other frum Jews.

There is a growing Skver presence on McNamara Road. The Francis Place shtiebel continues to expand. There is a Skver girls’ school on College Road. And now another shtiebel has opened near New City with the reported encouragement of the Rebbe himself.

So where did the concern for isolation go?

If living among Jews with different customs, shopping habits and standards is so dangerous, why is New Square leadership encouraging its own followers to establish outposts throughout greater Monsey?

Why are Skver families permitted to live among us, while we are told that living near them threatens their purity?

Isolation in One Direction

No one is demanding that Skver families leave Nanuet, New City, Wesley Hills or any other neighborhood.

No one is calling for their shtieblach to be closed.

No one is claiming that their children threaten the character or purity of our communities.

The surrounding Monsey community generally accepts a basic principle: Jews have the right to live, daven and build institutions wherever they may legally do so.

But that principle must work both ways.

New Square cannot insist that its followers may expand throughout the surrounding region while demanding that the surrounding region remain frozen a mile away from its borders.

It cannot celebrate new Skver communities inside other neighborhoods while describing other Jews moving near New Square as a spiritual danger.

It cannot say, “Stay away from us,” while steadily moving closer to everyone else.

That is not isolation. It is a one-way policy of control.

Choose One Standard

New Square’s leadership must choose.

Either living among the broader frum community is acceptable, in which case the entire justification for the mile policy collapses.

Or living among other frum communities is genuinely dangerous, in which case New Square leadership should explain why it is encouraging families, shuls and schools to expand throughout greater Monsey.

They cannot reasonably claim both.

Skver families are welcome to live among us. They are welcome to establish shuls among us. They are welcome to educate their children among us.

But the same right must be extended to everyone else.

The original letter should be withdrawn. The mile policy should end. And the families harmed by it deserve acknowledgment and an apology.

Until then, each new Skver outpost will expose the same glaring contradiction:

The mile only runs one way.

Binyomin Ribiat

A remarkable celebration of Torah and achdus took place this week in Kerestir, Hungary, as more than 150 talmidim of the newly established Satmar Kibbutz Yeshiva concluded a European chizuk journey with a festive Siyum HaShas held in the restored bais medrash of Rav Yeshaya’le of Kerestir zt”l.

The yeshiva, located in Monsey, was founded earlier this year by the Satmar Rebbeto provide a full-time Torah framework for older bochurim who graduated from the Satmar Yeshiva in Queens. The Rebbe has reportedly made the project one of his highest priorities, viewing it as especially close to his heart.

Today, the yeshiva is home to more than 150 older bochurim who have chosen to continue intensive Torah learning in a structured yeshiva environment tailored to their stage of life.

Leading the delegation throughout the European trip was the Rosh Yeshiva, Harav Yaakov Ber Teitelbaum, Av Beis Din of Sighet-Boro Park and a son of the Satmar Rebbe, who accompanied the talmidim during the entire journey.

The highlight of the trip was the stop in Kerestir, where the talmidim established a temporary yeshiva in the recently restored bais medrash of Rav Yeshaya’le of Kerestir. The restoration project, led by descendants of the tzaddik through “Reb Yeshaya’le’s House,” is nearing completion, and the talmidim held regular sedorim there throughout their stay.

The Siyum HaShas itself took place in the “Heichal Avraham Shmuel Samet,” a hall donated by philanthropist Reb Yechezkel Dovid Berkowitz, one of the prominent supporters of Satmar. The event also served as a moving display of unity between different Chassidic courts and the Satmar community.

On the evening before the siyum, the Toldos Aharon Rebbe visited the “Reb Yeshaya’le’s House” complex, operated by the Rubin family, descendants of Rav Yeshaya’le. While touring the site, the Rebbe spent several minutes studying a display listing the masechtos learned by the yeshiva’s talmidim. He inquired about the new yeshiva, learned about its focus on older bochurim and its learning schedule, and expressed admiration for both the scope of the Torah learning and the vision behind the initiative.

The following day, the Toldos Aharon Rebbe made an unexpected appearance at the Siyum HaShas. He spoke with Harav Yaakov Ber Teitelbaum and then joined him in a joyous dance to the accompaniment of the orchestra, delighting the hundreds of participants gathered for the celebration.

{Matzav.com}

United Torah Judaism MK Uri Maklev said Thursday that he would not be surprised if Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s first move after the next election is to try forming a coalition with Gadi Eisenkot instead of the Chareidi parties, stressing that the Chareidi bloc is independent and will act according to its own interests.

Speaking in an interview with Avi Moskoff and Avi Gadolovitch on Kol Berama Radio’s “One in the Afternoon” program, Maklev said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if Netanyahu’s first attempt is to form a government with Eisenkot. Netanyahu’s first concern is Netanyahu. He is not committed to the bloc. We will do what’s best for us—we are a bloc unto ourselves.”

Maklev also appeared to suggest that new Chareidi political factions are receiving significant financial backing from undisclosed sources, hinting that more information could eventually become public.

“The day will come when people will know where the major funding came from. I know where the money is coming from. Once that becomes known, there will be no need to discuss all these other things,” he said, without providing further details.

Turning to Israel’s High Court of Justice, which recently struck down legislation freezing the arrests of yeshiva students over the military draft, Maklev defended the coalition’s decision to advance the measure despite anticipating a legal challenge.

“Bringing the arrests law forward was not a mistake. We knew we were heading for a confrontation with the High Court. Every law the High Court strikes down undermines the court’s own legitimacy,” he said.

Maklev added that he was not advocating defying the court’s rulings but sharply criticized what he described as judicial overreach.

“I never said not to obey the High Court—we’re not anarchists. But if the High Court acts unlawfully, then the police should summon them for questioning,” he said.

The UTJ lawmaker also reserved harsh criticism for the Religious Zionism Party, accusing it of contributing to tensions surrounding the enlistment of yeshiva students.

“When Religious Zionism says, ‘We’re not opposed to Torah study, but it’s possible to do both,’ that is the statement that created confusion and fueled the greatest incitement,” Maklev said. “As a party, Religious Zionism has been the most problematic member of this coalition.”

{Matzav.com}

Newly released recordings have sparked criticism after an Israeli judge was heard making remarks perceived as mocking Chareidi witnesses during court proceedings. The witnesses filed a formal complaint, alleging the comments reflected prejudice against the Chareidi community, but the complaint was ultimately closed after the judge apologized and judicial authorities accepted her explanation.

The recordings, aired by Israel’s Channel 14, feature Hadera Magistrate’s Court Judge Yifat Unger-Biton addressing two Chareidi witnesses in what they described as a dismissive and insulting manner during a hearing.

In one recording, the judge tells a witness, “Sir, you speak at lightning speed. I’m saying that you’re used to going into tefillos at the shul and finishing them very quickly. You race through the prayers at a crazy pace. Nobody besides you can even understand the prayers… But here we speak slowly. We need to understand what you’re saying.”

In another exchange from the same case, the judge asks a different witness, “Is this your affidavit? This tzetel (Yiddish for ‘note’) that you brought with you?” The witness replied, “You call it a tzetel, but for us it’s a significant document.”

The two witnesses subsequently filed a complaint with Israel’s Commissioner for Complaints Against Judges, Justice Asher Kula, arguing that the judge’s remarks demonstrated bias against Chareidim, demeaned both them and their religious practices, and undermined confidence in the judiciary’s impartiality.

In her response, Judge Unger-Biton acknowledged that she may have chosen her words poorly but insisted she had no intention of offending the witnesses. She said she was attempting to speak in terms that would be familiar to them and offered an apology for her remarks.

After reviewing her response, Justice Kula decided to close the complaint. In his written decision, he stated, “Even if the judge’s explanations are correct… a judge must always be careful with his or her words and pay attention to how they may be perceived from an objective standpoint. The judge did the right thing by apologizing in her response for her remarks to the witnesses.”

The report also noted that this was not the first time Judge Unger-Biton had come under scrutiny over recorded courtroom comments. According to the report, another recording surfaced in 2019 in which she questioned one of the parties during a hearing using language that also drew public attention.

In a statement, the Judicial Authority’s spokesperson said, “In her response to the Commissioner for Complaints Against Judges, the judge apologized for her remarks, and the commissioner determined that the matter had been fully addressed.”

{Matzav.com}

Israeli police have arrested a man suspected of vandalizing the headquarters of Channel 12 News in Tel Aviv by hurling rocks at the building’s entrance and leaving behind a threatening letter apparently directed at journalists and public officials. Authorities said the investigation was conducted jointly with the Shin Bet security agency.

According to police, the suspect is a man in his 40s from Ramat Gan. He was taken into custody on Thursday by detectives from the Tel Aviv District’s Central Unit on suspicion of making threats against members of the media and public figures while also causing damage to the entrance of the Channel 12 News offices.

The incident took place on July 28, when officers on routine patrol noticed that the glass entrance door to the office building on Haskalah Boulevard had been shattered. Investigators also discovered a threatening letter near the entrance that was apparently addressed to journalists and public officials.

The investigation, led by the Tel Aviv Central Unit together with the Ayalon investigative unit and the Shin Bet, determined that the suspect allegedly threw rocks at the building’s entrance doors before fleeing the scene, leaving the threatening letter behind.

Police said investigators later identified and located the suspect, who was subsequently arrested and questioned. A court-issued gag order that had previously prohibited publication of details about the investigation was lifted following Thursday’s police announcement.

The attack is the latest in a series of incidents targeting Channel 12’s offices in Tel Aviv. Over the past month, the building’s glass entrance doors have been smashed on two separate occasions. In one of those incidents, surveillance footage reportedly captured a masked individual throwing a brick at the entrance.

In recent months, threatening graffiti and messages directed at Channel 12 journalists have also been sprayed around the news organization’s offices. Police opened investigations into the repeated attacks, culminating in the arrest announced on Thursday.

{Matzav.com}