Saturday, October 17, 2026
Hussain Obama accuses Israel of stealing land, defends Palestinian terror
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired back at former President Obama after he claimed Israel had stolen Palestinian land.
“The Jewish people are not foreign occupiers in the land of our forefathers,” Netanyahu responded in a stern video rebuke posted on X Friday.
Obama made headlines when he slammed the founding of Israel and defended Palestinian terrorism in a conversation with Irish journalist Susan McKay during a paid speaking engagement at the O2 Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Tuesday. The paid speaking event drew about 7,000 people.
“They took land off people and they were expelled. And those people understandably said, ‘This is injustice and I want my land back,'” Obama said, after first explaining that European persecution had driven Jews to seek refuge in the Middle East.
He also accused Israel of ceding “moral ground” by its conduct in the war against Hamas in Gaza, which was launched after the terrorist group invaded Israel and killed over 1,200 people in their barbaric Oct. 7, 2023 attacks.
“If the attitude of Israel is, now that we are the strongest, the most technologically advanced in the region, then our security will depend on us simply doing whatever we need and taking whatever we want, and not making any concessions to anyone, that may work short-term,” Obama said.
“But you have ceded moral ground if that is the position you take.”
The 44th president was awarded an honorary doctorate from Queen’s University Belfast earlier that day.
Netanyahu firmly rejected the idea that Israel had stolen land and said that Jews were indigenous to the Levant.
“Our land is not stolen land. This is our homeland; it’s called Judea. That’s where Jews come from. We’ve been attached to it for thousands of years,” he said.
The Israeli prime minister also claimed that the Jewish State was not the obstacle to peace in the region, and said that Israel’s enemies were also the enemies of the US.
“The obstacle to peace is not Israel, it’s not our fight for our very right to exist in our own state, it’s the refusal of our enemies, and America’s enemies to recognize the Jewish people’s right to a state of our own, in any boundaries,” Netanyahu said.
This is not the first time Netanyahu and Obama have clashed.
The two publicly clashed in May 2011, when Netanyahu pushed back during an Oval Office meeting against Obama’s call for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations based on Israel’s pre-1967 borders, with mutually agreed land swaps.
BNEI BRAK Rabbonim Oppose Relocation Of Religious Zionist School Into Chareidi Neighborhood
A dispute over the location of a Religious Zionist school in Bnei Brak has intensified after the city’s rabbonim issued a letter opposing the school’s relocation into the predominantly Chareidi Kiryat Herzog neighborhood.
The controversy centers on the Afikim state religious school on Neufeld Street, which serves both boys and girls, including children with special educational needs. Local rabbonim have expressed concerns about the school’s proximity to Chareidi educational institutions and the interactions between students during arrival and dismissal times.
The latest letter follows a series of incidents that have heightened tensions in the neighborhood, including an episode in which the school’s entrance gate was welded shut overnight.
Parents and students arriving at the school discovered that the gate had been sealed, preventing children from entering the building. Police were called to the scene, and parents ultimately brought a cutting tool to remove the welded section and reopen the entrance.
Authorities suspected that extremists opposed to the school’s presence in the neighborhood were responsible for the incident, although the perpetrators were not identified in the report.
The episode drew attention to the longstanding opposition among some neighborhood residents to the school’s location.
The dispute had already prompted a letter from the neighborhood’s Rav, HaGaon HaRav Yehuda Aryeh Schwartz, addressed to the administrations of nearby Talmudei Torah.
In his letter, HaRav Schwartz described the encounters between students from the different educational institutions during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal as causing “terrible anguish” to yeshiva bochurim and younger students.
He explained that Bnei Brak’s municipal education department was working to find a solution, but that the matter had not yet been fully resolved.
The letter also revealed that, following instructions from HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, local Chareidi institutions were compelled to delay the beginning of their school day by half an hour to minimize contact between the students.
The newly published letter from Bnei Brak’s rabbonim renews the demand that the Religious Zionist school not be relocated into Kiryat Herzog and calls attention to the need for a permanent arrangement addressing the concerns of neighboring educational institutions.
The dispute dates back at least a decade.
In 2016, rabbonim in Kiryat Herzog protested plans to relocate a Religious Zionist girls’ school from central Bnei Brak into the Chareidi neighborhood.
At the time, the rabbonim met with then-Mayor Chanoch Zeibert to express their opposition and propose alternative locations, arguing that the move could affect the neighborhood’s established Chareidi character.
Friday, October 16, 2026
Show of strength in Jerusalem: 5,000 attend Religious Zionist Party rally
More than 5,000 activists gathered Thursday evening at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem for the Religious Zionist Party's "Hineni" rally, ahead of the elections for the 26th Knesset, scheduled to take place in less than two weeks.
According to the party, the gathering marked the largest show of support in its history, bringing together grassroots activists from across Israel, from Metula in the north to Eilat in the south.
Leading rabbis from the religious Zionist community, representing more than 100 yeshivas and educational institutions, also attended the event to demonstrate their support for the party and its leadership.
Religious Zionist Party chairman and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich addressed the gathering, warning against voting for parties that might fail to cross the electoral threshold.
"In less than two weeks, we will head to elections that will determine the future of our country. A war on seven fronts, a struggle over our identity, our democracy, and our future - all of this is at stake at the ballot box," Smotrich said.
He outlined his party's priorities for the next Knesset term, including strengthening Jewish settlement in the Galilee and Negev, combating crime and protection rackets, reinforcing Jewish identity, easing the burden on reservists, drafting haredi men into the military, and introducing changes to the judicial system.
Smotrich went on to criticize other parties on the political right, arguing that they were jeopardizing the right-wing bloc's chances of winning the elections.
"The future of the State of Israel is too precious to gamble with. There are those who are still tempted to embark on dangerous adventures at the expense of the right, instead of taking national responsibility and withdrawing," he said.
Smotrich also warned against the formation of a government led by opposition figures.
"We must not lose and allow a destructive left-wing government of [Gadi] Eisenkot, [Yair] Golan, and [Mansour] Abbas to destroy everything we have built," he declared.
Concluding his remarks, Smotrich urged right-wing voters to support a party he said was certain to cross the electoral threshold.
Party officials said the rally marked the beginning of the operational preparations for Election Day, during which thousands of activists will work to expand support for the party and encourage voters to turn out at the polls.
UTJ MK "Meshiginer" Elyakim Shtark Compares Draft Evaders Travelling Abroad to those escaping the Holocaust!
The Charedi parties are getting crazier and crazier, and I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel! Smotrich was 100% correct ! This young smart-alecky naive Shtark needs a lesson in Holocaust studies ASAP ...
Incoming United Torah Judaism MK Elyakim Shtark has sparked controversy after comparing the situation of yeshiva students who fear traveling abroad because of their unresolved military service status to restrictions on freedom of movement during the Holocaust.
Shtark, who is set to replace MK Yisrael Eichler in the Knesset, was speaking about the difficulties faced by yeshiva students who wish to travel overseas to seek marriage partners but fear being arrested at the airport because they are classified as military draft evaders.
At the beginning of his remarks, Shtark addressed Eichler, who is known for his outspoken statements, saying, "I've made a commitment not to bring up the Holocaust during my first few years, because you've already brought it up enough."
However, Shtark then proceeded to draw a comparison to the Holocaust himself.
"I'm not one to make Holocaust comparisons, but I find myself unable to describe our situation any other way. Our situation is close to what it was during the Holocaust, when people couldn't cross borders. It reminds me of the stories our grandparents told us," he said.
Some Stories Never go away and stay in the family ! Son of Malka Leifer Faces NIS 2.5 Million Lawsuit Over Abuse of Boy
Meir Leifer was himself convicted of committing an indecent act against a 10-year-old boy. He was sentenced to eight months of community service, a suspended prison sentence and compensation of NIS 45,000.
The new lawsuit alleges that the abuse caused severe and lasting psychological harm to the victim, who is now 13, affecting his education, social relationships and daily functioning. “The plaintiff’s soul remains wounded, and he has become a sad and withdrawn person,” the lawsuit states, describing anxiety, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating and significant social and academic problems.
According to the claim, the boy may require long-term psychological treatment and assistance, while his future earning capacity could also be affected. The lawsuit seeks compensation for medical and therapeutic expenses, emotional suffering, future loss of earnings, pension losses and ongoing care. It also requests damages under Israel’s Prevention of Harassment Law.
Thursday, October 15, 2026
Special interview with Iran’s chief rabbi
Rabbi Younes Lazar Hamami, one of the leaders of Iran’s Jewish community, addressed the security situation facing Jewish communities in Iran on Tuesday, expressing a surprising view of the local authorities.
He claimed that, unlike many Jewish communities around the world that require heightened security, synagogues and Jewish institutions in Iran do not need security systems or special guards, as the local police provide protection for all citizens.
During an interview with Iranian media, Hamami sharply criticized Israel, referring to it as the “Zionist regime."
He accused Israel of using allegations of antisemitism to target its opponents and silence criticism of the country.
To support his claims, he pointed to protests by Jews in countries such as the US and Britain against Israeli policies, arguing that these demonstrations prove that many Jews oppose the actions of the Israeli government.
Ger Threating Not to Vote in Elections because they hate Eliakim Stark who is a Belzer Chusid
The Ger hasidic movement, a dominant force within the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, is threatening to boycott the upcoming elections.
Hamodia, the newspaper representing the Ger hasidic community, has notably refrained from publishing any call by the Ger Rebbe, Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter, to vote for the party. No official statement regarding the elections has been issued, an extremely unusual situation at such an advanced stage of the campaign, when election activities are normally in full swing.
Behind the silence lies a severe political crisis that erupted just hours before the deadline for submitting Knesset candidate lists:
Meir Porush, a representative of the Shlomei Emunim faction, and Eliakim Stark, a representative of the Belz hasidic community, unexpectedly broke away from Agudat Yisrael and established a separate party called Torat Homat Yisrael, whose representatives occupy fourth and sixth place on the joint UTJ list.
The move was intended to secure funding proportional to their electoral strength within UTJ.
The Ger hasidic movement has struggled to accept the move and is reportedly determined to do everything possible to prevent Stark, who holds sixth place on the UTJ list, from entering the Knesset.
"As of now, we have been instructed not to engage in any election-related activity, and so far, there has been no public call from the Gerrer Rebbe. So it is not at all clear whether we will vote in the upcoming elections," a Gerrer hasid told Arutz Sheva - Israel National News.
"The goal," the hasid admitted, "is to do everything possible to keep Stark out."
If the Ger community does not vote, UTJ could potentially lose two Knesset seats.
In Belz, however, officials are dismissing the threat.
"The entire Ger hasidic movement accounts for 25,000 to 30,000 votes. Meanwhile, the natural growth in UTJ's voter base amounts to 55,000 votes. Even if they stage a work-to-rule protest, they won't manage to affect even the seventh seat," sources in the movement told Arutz Sheva.
Nevertheless, the prevailing assessment is that a compromise will ultimately be reached and Gerrer hasidim will turn out to vote for the United Torah Judaism list.
Betzalel Smotrich Always the Gentleman Refuses to Engage in Battle With Rav Landau
The entire Yeshivishe World is an uproar when Betzalel Smotrich dared say what every single frum thinking reasonable person thinks and is afraid of saying out loud, asserting "that Chareidim show ingratitude to Hashem" and questioning of "how anyone could remain Chareidi in Eretz Yisroel"
Anyone who was ever been stuck in traffic for hours and witnessed the sheer violence perpetrated by Bnei-Torah on other Jews, anyone who walked the streets in Yerushlayim seeing Bnei-Torah calling other Jews in uniform "Nazi" and witnessing with their own eyes, Bnei-Torah calling a Bas-Yisrael, someone's wife, someone's daughter or sister ... "Shiksah" , anyone that sees the utter destruction that Bnei-Torah did to the Light Rail, resulting in damage of close to a billion shekel, is questioning "how anyone could remain Chareidi in Eretz Yisroel"
Rav Landau who is quick to dish out whatever is on his mind, like calling Jewish Children in Uniform "rashaim & murderers" during the 9 days, no less, and stating with a straight face that October 7 was a war because the IDF wants to grab more land and is fighting in Gaza for "their own glory" and that October 7 was NOT a Milchemes Mitzva, yet elections are, cannot take it when someone else with a different hashkafa questions his Charedie narrative.
Rav Dov Landau responded to Betzalel Smotrich’s sane and reasonable comment on Chareidim, describing Smotrich’s words as a" Chillul Hashem" and warning that "defending Torah and those who learn it has become more critical than ever."
HaRav Landau Shlit”a made the remarks during a visit from Rabbonim from Rechasim, who came to his home and the home of HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch Shlit”a to seek guidance and brachos ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections, in a State that those Rabbanim don't recognize and who consider the Knesset "a gathering of meenim & apikorsim"
While saying there was no need to engage Smotrich directly, Rav Landau stressed that the attack on Torah required a forceful response.
I am not sure what a "forceful response is" but the Yated, the mouthpiece of Degel and Rav Lamdau' hinted Rav Landau was referring to physical violence. כדרכם בקודש .... and no one is surprised!
Invoking the Chazon Ish’s directive to participate in Israeli elections, he said the obligation to vote had been “doubled and redoubled” amid the current threats to Torah and the treatment of lomdei Torah “as plunder, Hashem yishmereinu.”
He called on the public to vote for United Torah Judaism, declaring, “We have nothing remaining except this Torah!”
He emphasized that everyone must vote, even if doing so involved inconvenience or personal sacrifice, and said voters should cast their ballots in their own places of residence rather than seek exemptions because of distance or logistical challenges.
Smotrich made the controversial comments earlier this week at two events. Asked why he had not responded publicly to HaRav Landau’s criticism, he said he was hesitant to argue openly with a talmid chacham.
He cautioned that his silence should not be mistaken for agreement, invoking the traditional warning to beware of the “burning coals” of Torah scholars.
Smotrich added that he davened for HaRav Landau to do teshuvah, while maintaining that a public response was unnecessary.
He subsequently described Chareidim as ungrateful and “completely blind,” questioning how anyone could remain Chareidi today.
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