Zera Shimshon Parshat Matot-Masai

 

Iran suspects Israel is behind a recent wave of explosions

 

Iran suspects Israel is behind a recent wave of explosions targeting oil refineries and homes, the New York Times reports. While Iranian officials privately blame Israeli sabotage, Tehran has stopped short of direct accusations-likely to avoid pressure for retaliation.

Trump says Hamas wants to die! He finally figured it out

 

 Trump on Hamas and Gaza: 

"They pulled out in terms of negotiating. It was too bad. Hamas didn't really want to make a deal. I think they want to die."

Pilot Who Ejected Jewish Kids For Singing In Hebrew Trained Two 9/11 Hijackers

 

The antisemitic scandal surrounding Vueling Airlines has taken a mindboggling twist as it has been revealed that Iván Chirivella, a pilot who trained two of the 9/11 hijackers, was the captain who ordered the removal of 50 Jewish children from a flight between Valencia and Paris.

Vueling Airlines confirmed Friday that Chirivella, a native of the Canary Islands and a senior flight instructor at an independent aviation school, was in command during the incident. Chirivella was the flight instructor for at least two of the terrorists behind the September 11 attacks – ringleader Mohamed Atta and Marwan Al Shehhi – at Jones Aviation in Florida in 2000.

Despite this alarming history, Vueling promoted Chirivella to a senior training role, placing him not only in the cockpit but in charge of mentoring other pilots.

Trump Tells Off Powell Straight to his face!

 

After months of criticizing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, President Donald Trump took the fight to the Fed’s front door on Thursday, publicly scorning the central bank chief over the ballooning costs of a long-planned building project. Powell pushed back, challenging the president’s latest price tag as incorrect.

Wearing hard hats and grim faces, standing in the middle of the construction project, Trump and Powell addressed the cameras. Trump charged that the renovation would cost $3.1 billion, much higher than the Fed’s $2.5 billion figure. Powell, standing next to him, shook his head.

The Fed Chair, after looking at a paper presented to him by Trump, said the president was including the cost of renovating a separate Fed building, known as the Martin building, that was finished five years ago.

The visit represented a significant ratcheting up of the president’s pressure on Powell to lower borrowing costs, which Trump says would accelerate economic growth and reduce the government’s borrowing costs. Presidents rarely visit the Fed’s offices, though they are just a few blocks from the White House, an example of the central bank’s independence from day-to-day politics.

“We have to get the interest rates down,” Trump said later after a short tour, addressing the cameras this time without Powell. “People are pretty much unable to buy houses.”

Trump is likely to be disappointed next week, however, when Fed officials will meet to decide its next steps on interest rates. Powell and other officials have signaled they will likely keep their key rate unchanged at about 4.3%. However, economists and Wall Street investors expect the Fed may start cutting rates in September.

Goldknopf Threatens Ultra-Orthodox Exodus Over Israel’s Military Draft Dispute

 

And where, pray tell, is a better place for frum Yidden? In Europe, with the rampant anti-semitism? In the UK, where the Dept of Education is trying to force their curricula on the private schools? Even the Goldene Medina, where BH, Yidden have freedom and equal rights, the anti-semitism is still strongly felt. And there is inrterference in our chinuch as well as many nisyonos. 

EY is a place that is blessed and it’s a mitzva to live there, even when it’s golus. There is no learning that equals Toras Eretz Yisroel. Its a hollow threat!

Israel’s United Torah Judaism leader, Ytzhak Goldknopf, sparked political uproar on Thursday after warning that the ultra-Orthodox community might consider leaving Israel if the government begins arresting yeshiva students who refuse military service. His remarks came after several Haredi draft evaders were recently detained, intensifying the already heated debate over conscription exemptions.

In an interview with the religious newspaper Makor Rishon, Goldknopf declared, “If there is no choice and the ultra-Orthodox have to leave the country, then they will leave the country. The ultra-Orthodox will not change their way of life because there is an army and a war. If the army is short 50,000 soldiers, go take the draft dodgers from Tel Aviv and Gush Dan.”

Netanyahu Answers the Dunce Macron: Palestinian state would be launch pad to annihilate Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Thursday evening to French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement that France would officially recognize the “State of Palestine”.

"We strongly condemn President Macron’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state next to Tel Aviv in the wake of the October 7 massacre. Such a move rewards terror and risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became. A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel," he said.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar criticized Macron and said, “The French President's pretension to create by mere words an illusory arrangement in our land is ridiculous and not serious. His statement this evening shows that all the conditions that he himself set a few weeks ago - have evaporated. All that remains is the illusory state he presumes to establish.”

Roshei Yeshiva Panic as 120 Bochurim From Top Charedi Yeshivos Have Recently Enlisted In IDF

 

Thank you Hashem for showing Your children open miracles! First You showed us a double military miracle by defeating Hezbollah and Iran. Now You show us a double Chareidi miracle, by having them rejoin Klal Yisroel and contribute towards its security and by no longer allowing Chareidi government handouts that allowed them to be oiver the issur of turning yourself into a charity case. Boruch Hatov V’Hameitiv!

A significant development is underway in the Israeli charedi community. Despite the heated battle in the Knesset over the draft exemption law and the charedi parties intrasigent stance on the issue, dozens of charedi yeshiva students have recently joined or are in the process of enlisting in the IDF.

The pro-draft newspaper Lechatchila published a report on the matter on Tuesday, stating that “Dozens of students from mainstream yeshivot are enlisting in the IDF.”

According to the article, six students from Wolfson Yeshiva, considered one of the most prestigious institutions in the charedi world, announced their decision to enlist. This triggered an emergency assembly led by the Rosh Yeshiva. Reportedly, three of the students plan to join “Kodkod”, a prestigious IDF tech unit, two will serve in combat roles, and one will transition to a Haredi Hesder Yeshiva (which combines Torah study with military service) before enlisting in a combat unit.

The news shocked many in the yeshiva and has caused a stir throughout the charedi world, especially because two of the enlisting students are alumni of Kol Torah, one of the most well-respected and long-standing yeshivot.

During the emergency meeting at Wolfson Yeshiva, Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Daniel Wolfson addressed the students and expressed deep concern about the move. He argued that no military program can truly preserve a charedi lifestyle and shared his sorrow over the students’ decision to leave.

Lechatchila, despite supporting Haredi enlistment, quoted Rabbi Wolfson:

“The army doesn’t want you and isn’t waiting for you with open arms.”

He also claimed that religious soldiers are disproportionately sent to the front lines and therefore suffer higher casualty rates. As evidence, he pointed to the recent deaths of four soldiers in Netzah Yehuda Battalion—a predominantly charedi combat unit. According to him, such incidents demonstrate that the army poses a greater risk to religious soldiers.

Lechatchila’s investigation reveals that the Wolfson case is part of a wider trend. Students from top-tier charedi yeshivot—such as Wolfson, Torah B’Tifarta, Hevron, Kamenitz, and even Ponevezh and Tifrach—have recently begun enlistment procedures, joining either elite tech programs like Kodkod or Yoav, or entering combat and intelligence units designed for Haredi soldiers.

In at least two known cases, yeshiva staff were aware of the students’ intentions to enlist but allowed them to remain until the end of the semester, under the condition they not speak about it with other students.

In another case, a student already serving in the Hashmonaim Brigade convinced two of his friends to follow him—one of whom is scheduled to enlist in the next draft cycle, and the other has registered for the Kedkod program.

According to Lechatchila’s full data analysis, since May, approximately 120 single charedi men, enrolled in elite yeshivot, have begun enlistment procedures. Over 70 registered for the Kodkod program, and over 40 joined other tracks.

These younger recruits join the ranks of married charedi men (avreichim) who have recently started similar enlistment processes. As revealed in Lechatchila, two avreichim from the Haredi community in Tiberias, studying at a local kollel, approached Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, head of the Slabodka Yeshiva, sharing that they felt spiritually unfulfilled and were under severe financial stress due to recent sanctions on yeshiva students.

Rabbi Hirsch reportedly listened and ruled that in their situation it was permissible to enlist.

Upon returning to their kollel and announcing their intent to enlist after the summer session, the shocked head of the kollel consulted with Rabbi Shraga Steinman, asking if he should expel the men. Steinman allegedly replied,

“You shall do according to what your rabbi instructs you—why kick them out?”

The response calmed the kollel head, though the news caused surprise. Days later, the kollel held a farewell party for the two under the headline: “You shall do as instructed.”

According to Lechatchila, the enlisting yeshiva students are raising the bar in units like the Hashmonaim Brigade. A senior figure involved in recruiting Haredim said:

“These new recruits are the best of the best from top yeshivot. To join Hashmonaim, it’s not enough to be charedi—you need to meet very high personal and spiritual standards. Just like Hevron Yeshiva only accepts top-tier students, so does Hashmonaim.”

Those not accepted into Hashmonaim are being directed to other Haredi-friendly units, such as Netzah Yehuda or Pluga Chetz. “There’s no shortage of options,” said the source.

Despite the influx of interest, with hundreds of applicants, the unit remains selective:

“I’d rather take 80 high-quality soldiers than 300 who aren’t,” said the source.
“Until now, we had to limit draft cycles to maintain quality. Today, we can expand while keeping the same standard. After all, being the ‘Sayeret’ (elite unit) of the Torah world in the IDF is a big responsibility.”

Jewish Children Removed From Spanish Flight for ‘Singing Jewish Songs’, Camp Director Arrested

 

A Vueling Airlines flight departing Valencia turned into controversy after the crew removed approximately 50 Jewish children and their summer camp director, prompting accusations of antisemitism and a strong response from Israeli officials.

According to Israel’s Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli, the children — aged 10 to 15 and part of the French Kinneret Club summer camp — were singing Hebrew songs on board when the crew ordered them to stop. When the camp director refused to comply with subsequent demands, the crew called Spain’s Guardia Civil. The director was arrested, while the children were forced to disembark.

Chikli described the event as a “serious antisemitic incident” and is demanding accountability from the Spanish airline. Footage of the removal quickly spread across social media, fueling anger among Jewish communities in Europe and beyond.

Witnesses Dispute Airline’s Claims
Some passengers not connected to the group have come forward to say the children behaved well. A French passenger told Le Parisien, “I didn’t hear any noise or screams. No one really understood what was going on. I was expecting to see someone drunk standing up, but no. Nothing.” Another passenger wrote on Instagram that the teenagers boarded calmly and left the plane politely when asked, despite the flight being delayed by more than two hours.

Vueling Responds
Vueling denied any religious bias, stating that the group’s “highly combative attitude” and mishandling of emergency equipment created a safety risk. “The actions of our crew were solely in response to behavior that compromised passenger safety,” the airline said in a statement.

The airline also claimed that the group acted aggressively toward authorities after leaving the plane, which led to the arrest of the camp director.

Legal Action and Corporate Pressure
The Kinneret Club summer camp announced plans to take legal action against Vueling, calling the removal a “purely antisemitic act” while assuring parents the children are safe in a hotel and scheduled to return to France.

Jewish billionaire investor Bill Ackman called out Vueling’s parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), noting that Qatar owns roughly 25% of IAG’s shares. Ackman demanded that the company’s CEO and board be held accountable for the incident.

Vueling, a Spanish low-cost airline acquired by IAG in 2012, operates over 100 routes across Europe and North Africa.

The woman who was arrested and beaten is the director of the Kinneret summer camp.

Fifty Jewish French children, aged 10 – 15, were singing Hebrew songs on the plane.

The @vueling airline crew said that Israel is a terrorist state and forced the children off the aircraft; they… https://t.co/V78PEHB58B pic.twitter.com/HizF6SZoaD

— עמיחי שיקלי - Amichai Chikli (@AmichaiChikli) July 23, 2025

Macron Breaks with Allies, Vows to Recognize Palestinian State in September Despite Hamas War Crimes

 

In a controversial move drawing criticism from Israel leaders and analysts, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state this September, despite the ongoing war with Hamas and the group’s continued refusal to disarm or release Israeli hostages.

Macron’s decision, which he plans to formalize at the United Nations General Assembly, risks undermining long-standing diplomatic frameworks that call for a negotiated peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. Critics argue it sends the wrong message at a time when Israel is still reeling from the October 7 Hamas massacre and working to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure embedded in Gaza.

“France recognizes the right of Palestinians to a state of their own,” Macron said on social media, without acknowledging that the de facto rulers of Gaza, Hamas, continue to call for Israel’s destruction and reject any two-state solution.

Israel has condemned past attempts at unilateral recognition, stating it rewards terror and sidelines peace. Though Israel has not yet officially responded, one senior Israeli official told local media that Macron’s announcement “emboldens extremists and punishes the only democracy in the Middle East.”

The timing of France’s decision is raising eyebrows. Macron’s declaration comes amid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza — a crisis many say was created in large part by Hamas, which diverts aid, uses civilians as human shields, and refuses to allow ceasefires that would benefit its own people.

Washington reiterated its opposition to unilateral moves on Palestinian statehood. “A lasting solution can only be achieved through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson said Wednesday.

France would be the most influential Western country to take this step, joining smaller European nations such as Norway, Ireland, and Spain, which have recently recognized a Palestinian state — moves seen by many as symbolic rather than constructive.

Critics warn that legitimizing a Palestinian state now, before key issues such as disarmament, security guarantees, and recognition of Israel’s right to exist are addressed, risks locking in instability rather than promoting peace.

Meanwhile, Hamas continues to hold 50 Israeli hostages and has violated multiple ceasefire attempts brokered by the international community.

Israel maintains it remains committed to a negotiated two-state solution — but only when its security can be guaranteed and peace partners renounce violence and terror.

As France prepares to formalize its stance at the UN in September, questions remain about whether Macron’s move will isolate France diplomatically, strain its relationship with Jerusalem, or embolden Hamas as it continues its war against the Jewish state.