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University of California: Student Government Boycotts of Israeli-Linked Companies Off Limits

Yeshiva World News -

The president of the University of California this week reiterated that student governments are prohibited from financial boycotts of companies associated with any particular country, including Israel, as the Trump administration continues its probe of alleged antisemitism on college campuses. Michael Drake did not mention Israel by name, but he did single out student governments in a letter he sent to chancellors of the university system. He said that while freedom of speech and inquiry are core commitments of the university, its policies also require that financial decisions be grounded in sound business practices, such as competitive bidding. “This principle also applies to student governments,” he wrote. “Actions by University entities to implement boycotts of companies based on their association with a particular country would not align with these sound business practices.” UC spokesperson Rachel Zaentz said in a statement that the letter is in keeping with the university’s opposition to financial boycotts of companies associated with a particular country. “While our community members have the right to express their viewpoints, financial boycotts are inconsistent with UC’s commitment to sound business practices, academic freedom and the free exchange of ideas,” she said. College campuses exploded with pro-Palestinian protests in the wake of the war in Gaza, including a particularly brutal clash involving police at the University of California, Los Angeles last year. At the start of his term this year, President Donald Trump launched antisemitism probes at several universities, including the University of California, Berkeley. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and National Science Foundation are requiring research grantees to certify they will not engage in boycotts of Israel or promote diversity, inclusion and equity or risk federal funding. The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said Drake’s letter is an example of the university system’s attempts to silence student and faculty support of Palestinian human rights. “It sends a chilling message that financial interests and political pressure outweigh free expression and moral responsibility to take a stand against a foreign nation committing a genocide,” said Oussama Mokeddem, the group’s government affairs director. The UC Student Association, which represents students across the campuses, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But its president, Aditi Hariharan, told the Los Angeles Times that she disagreed with the ban. “Students already have little influence on how the university works, and student government is one of the few places where they can really get involved and have their voices heard,” she said in an interview before the letter was released. (AP)

Proposals Surface for Divided Golan Heights Control in Israel-Syria Talks

Yeshiva World News -

A Syrian source has outlined two potential frameworks for a political settlement between Israel and Syria over the Golan Heights, according to details shared with i24News. The first scenario envisions Israel retaining control over approximately one-third of the Golan Heights while returning another third directly to Syrian sovereignty. The final third would be leased by Israel from Syria for 25 years, allowing for a continued but non-sovereign Israeli presence in that portion. In the second proposed framework, Israel would maintain authority over two-thirds of the Golan Heights, while the remaining third would be handed back to Syria, potentially with a lease arrangement. Under this proposal, Syria could also receive administrative control over the Lebanese city of Tripoli, additional northern Lebanese territories, and parts of the Beqaa Valley. The Syrian source, described as close to President Ahmed al-Sharaa, indicated that Syria’s new leadership has shown an “unprecedented openness” and has established direct communication channels with Israel, focused on security and military coordination in southern Syria. The source suggested that returning specific portions of the Golan Heights—particularly areas beyond what Israel captured following the collapse of the Assad regime—would be critical to securing domestic support for any future peace agreement. Failure to include such concessions, the source warned, could generate substantial internal resistance to a deal. At the same time, the source clarified that removing U.S. sanctions on Syria should be regarded as a separate diplomatic matter and not as a form of “Israeli payment” for a peace agreement. Syrian state media, however, recently characterized talk of a peace accord as premature. An unidentified official quoted by Syrian state television stated that negotiations would not be possible until Israel complies fully with the 1974 disengagement agreement and withdraws from areas it has entered since the Assad regime’s fall. These developments come against the backdrop of major regional changes, including the overthrow of former Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad in December and the weakening of Hezbollah after its most recent clash with Israel. Syria’s new Islamist government has confirmed indirect talks with Israel to ease tensions, while the London-based Arabic outlet Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported this week that direct negotiations are taking place in Jordan on security issues and a phased withdrawal of IDF forces from southern Syria. Senior Syrian officials, including the country’s defense minister, are reportedly taking part in these discussions, which also cover possible security arrangements to stabilize Israel’s northern border. Despite this engagement, sources close to the Syrian leadership have maintained that President al-Sharaa is not ready to sign a formal peace treaty with Israel at this time. Syria’s primary demand continues to be a complete Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied after Assad’s fall, along with a rejection of expanding any buffer zones in the south. Axios recently reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed interest in pursuing U.S.-mediated negotiations with the new Syrian authorities. Netanyahu reportedly conveyed this during a meeting with U.S. Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, seeking a revised security agreement that could eventually lead to a full peace treaty — the first such direct diplomatic effort between Israel and Syria since 2011. This Israeli initiative came after President Donald Trump met with President al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia and subsequently lifted U.S. sanctions on Syria, despite Jerusalem’s initial reservations about al-Sharaa’s links to Turkey. (YWN World Headquarters […]

Netanyahu Pushes Forward Draft Law Despite Reservist Outrage: Legislative Blitz Underway

Matzav -

Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is accelerating efforts to pass the contentious chareidi draft law, pressing ahead despite growing backlash from reservist groups, public criticism, and mounting opposition within the security establishment.

Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Yuli Edelstein is spearheading a rapid legislative campaign aimed at passing the draft bill before the Knesset’s summer session concludes in three weeks. Edelstein is expected to present the proposed legislation to chareidi party representatives within hours and to the general public early next week. Simultaneously, the committee will begin intensive discussions in an effort to meet the tight timeline.

Reservist organizations are voicing strong opposition, warning that the proposed law undermines the IDF’s combat readiness. Critics argue that the bill offers benefits and exemptions long before a single chareidi soldier is drafted. “Either promote a fair and equitable law—or don’t promote any law at all,” they say.

Tensions boiled over during Defense Minister Yisroel Katz’s recent visit to the Gaza border, where a senior reservist officer confronted him directly: “Don’t count on us being able to show up for another 500 days.”

Dissent is also mounting within the defense establishment. A senior official warned, “The chareidim are trying to demoralize the system. We cannot allow a situation where the state incentivizes yeshiva study instead of military service.”

Meanwhile, the chareidi factions have reinstated their boycott on private-member legislation, vowing not to participate in votes until a mutually agreed-upon draft bill is presented.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman to Gafni: “The Religious Zionist Lawmakers Are Ungrateful”

Matzav -

In a high-level consultation held Thursday morning, Degel HaTorah chairman MK Moshe Gafni met with Rashbi Rosh Yeshivah Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman at the latter’s home on Rechov Admor MiGur in Bnei Brak. The two discussed pressing national issues, including the war in Gaza, efforts to secure the release of hostages, and the crisis surrounding the draft law.

During the extended meeting, Rav Bergman voiced strong support for Gafni’s recent calls to end the war in Gaza. Addressing criticism leveled at Gafni from elements within the right, the Rosh Yeshivah remarked, “You are in the right. All the criticism directed at you, coming from those who have sanctified a false lust for victory while endangering real lives—these are empty words.”

Turning to the looming battle over the draft bill, Rav Bergman condemned the religious Zionist lawmakers, stating bluntly, “They are ungrateful. We supported their efforts, even when they had no direct connection to us—and instead of showing appreciation, they repay us with harm when it comes to the decree to draft bnei yeshivah.”

According to a report by journalist Akiva Weiss in Makor Rishon, Rav Bergman warned Gafni not to show any sign of weakness on the issue: “Not only must we not compromise on the matter of yeshivah students being drafted, we must also ensure that the other side doesn’t detect even the slightest hint of weakness. We must stand firm and not be afraid of anyone. And remember—there is a Borei Olam watching over us.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

Supreme Court Greenlights Deportation of Immigrants to War-Torn South Sudan

Yeshiva World News -

The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the deportation of several immigrants who were put on a flight in May bound for South Sudan, a war-ravaged country where they have no ties. The decision comes after the court’s conservative majority found that immigration officials can quickly deport people to third countries. The majority halted an order that had allowed immigrants to challenge any removals to countries outside their homeland where they could be in danger. The court’s latest decision makes clear that the South Sudan flight can complete the trip, weeks after it was detoured to a naval base in Djibouti. There, the migrants who had previously been convicted of serious crimes were held in a converted shipping container. It reverses findings from federal Judge Brian Murphy in Massachusetts, who said his order on those migrants still stands even after the high court lifted his broader decision. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said federal authorities would complete the trip to South Sudan by the next day. The Supreme Court majority wrote that their decision on June 23 completely halted Murphy’s ruling and also rendered his decision on the South Sudan flight “unenforceable.” The court did not fully detail its legal reasoning on the underlying case, as is common on its emergency docket. Two liberal justices, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented, saying the ruling gives the government special treatment. “Other litigants must follow the rules, but the administration has the Supreme Court on speed dial,” Sotomayor wrote. Justice Elena Kagan wrote that while she disagreed with the original order, it does countermand Murphy’s findings on the South Sudan flight. The eight migrants could face “imprisonment, torture and even death” in South Sudan, where escalating political tensions have threatened to devolve into another civil war. “We know they’ll face perilous conditions, and potentially immediate detention, upon arrival,” Trina Realmuto, executive director of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, said Thursday. The push comes amid a sweeping immigration crackdown by Trump’s Republican administration, which has pledged to deport millions of people who are living in the United States illegally. The Trump administration has called Murphy’s finding “a lawless act of defiance.” McLaughlin said the Supreme Court’s intervention is “a win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people.” Attorney General Pam Bondi called Murphy a “rogue district court judge” and said the justices had rebuked him. Authorities have reached agreements with other countries to house immigrants if authorities can’t quickly send them back to their homelands. The eight men sent to South Sudan in May had been convicted of crimes in the U.S. and had final orders of removal, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said. Murphy, who was nominated by Democratic President Joe Biden, didn’t prohibit deportations to third countries. But he found migrants must have a real chance to argue they could be in danger of torture if sent to another country, even if they’ve already exhausted their legal appeals. The men and their guards have faced rough conditions on the naval base in Djibouti, where authorities detoured the flight after Murphy found the administration had violated his order by failing to allow them a chance to challenge the removal. They have since said they’re afraid of being sent to South […]

New Belz Regulation: Only 20 Candy Bags Allowed During Chassan Aliyah

Matzav -

Starting this Shabbos, a new guideline will go into effect at the main Belzer beis medrash in Yerushalayim, restricting the number of pekelach (candy bags) thrown during a chassan’s aliyah l’Torah. The regulation aims to minimize noise and disorder during krias haTorah in the massive bais medrash, which often hosts multiple aufrufs each week.

Initiated by the leadership of the Belzer beis medrash, and issued with the blessing and support of the Belzer Rebbe, the Vaad HaRabbanim announced the following takanah regarding the long-standing custom of tossing sweets when a chosson is called to the Torah:

A. Only 20 small, specially prepared pekelach—containing a modest amount of nuts and almonds—may be thrown during the aliyah. These will be sold exclusively through an appointed coordinator.

B. To ensure that children are not left out, each family celebrating a simchah is required to provide enough pekelach for all the children in the beis medrash. These will be distributed in an orderly fashion by a designated gabbai, with full coordination. In cases where there are multiple aufrufen on the same Shabbos, each family must supply a smaller number of pekelach, to be pooled and divided accordingly.

Similar policies have already been in place for over two decades in other kehillos, including Vizhnitz, where efforts were made early on to reduce disturbances during aliyos.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Trump Blames Biden for “Emptying Out” U.S. Arsenal With Ukraine Aid as Russia Renews Attacks

Yeshiva World News -

President Donald Trump complained Thursday that the United States provided too many weapons to Ukraine under the previous administration, his first public comments on the pause in some shipments as Russia escalates its latest offensive. Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One for a flight to Iowa, Trump said former President Joe Biden “emptied out our whole country giving them weapons, and we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves.” Air defense missiles, precision-guided artillery and other weapons are among those being withheld from Ukraine. The country suffered a new barrage overnight, with warnings of ballistic missiles followed by explosions in Kyiv. The sound of machine gun fire and drone engines could be heard across the capital. Trump, who also spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, suggested he wasn’t completely cutting off American assistance to Ukraine. “We’ve given so many weapons,” he said, adding that “we are working with them and trying to help them.” Trump said he had a “pretty long call” with Putin that “didn’t make any progress” in resolving the war, which the Republican president had promised to swiftly bring to a conclusion. “I’m not happy about that,” he said. The Kremlin described the conversation as “frank and constructive” — the sixth publicly disclosed chat between the two leaders since Trump returned to the White House. While discussing the situation around Iran and in the broader Middle East, Putin emphasized the need to resolve all differences “exclusively by political and diplomatic means,” said Yuri Ushakov, his foreign affairs adviser. The leaders agreed that Russian and U.S. officials will maintain contact on the issue, he added. The United States struck three sites in Iran on June 22, inserting itself into Israel’s war aimed at destroying Tehran’s nuclear program. On the conflict in Ukraine, Ushakov said Trump emphasized his push for a quick halt to the fighting, and Putin voiced Moscow’s readiness to pursue talks with Kyiv, noting the previous rounds in Turkey yielded humanitarian results. At the same time, the Russian leader emphasized that Moscow will seek to achieve its goals in Ukraine and remove the “root causes” of the conflict, Ushakov said. “Russia will not back down from these goals,” Ushakov told reporters after the call. Putin has argued he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to fend off a threat to Russia posed by Ukraine’s push to join NATO and to protect Russian speakers in Ukraine — arguments rejected by Kyiv and its allies. He insisted that any prospective peace deal must see Ukraine abandon its NATO bid and recognize Russia’s territorial gains. Ushakov said a suspension of some U.S. weapons shipments to Ukraine wasn’t discussed in the Trump-Putin call. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in Denmark after meeting with major European Union backers that he may talk to Trump in the coming days about the suspension. “I hope that maybe tomorrow, or close days, these days, I will speak about it with President Trump,” he said. The previous publicly known call between Trump and Putin came June 14, a day after Israel attacked Iran. The resumed contact between Trump and Putin appeared to reflect their interest in mending U.S.-Russian ties that have plummeted to their lowest point since the Cold War. Ushakov said the leaders discussed developments in […]

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