The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode, recorded in our Jerusalem offices. We’re doing something different today and Berman and Borschel-Dan have an informal conversation about a mid-November report that Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide. These remarks were included in a new book celebrating the pontiff’s jubilee year and they marked the first time that Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. The revolution in ties between the Catholic Church and Jews began with a brief document -- Nostra Aetate -- issued on October 28, 1965, by more than 1700 Catholic bishops gathered in Rome for the Second Vatican Council. We speak about what this document states and what it represents. We learn about the relationship between the Catholic Church and Israel -- and the Jewish people writ large -- and how it has evolved from accusations of Jews as Christ-killers to a relatively Golden Age. Lately, however, observers wonder if remarks made by Pope Francis and others could mark a turning point.For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Pope calls for probe into whether Israel is committing ‘genocide’ in Gaza Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Pope Francis waves as he arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, December 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. US President-elect Donald Trump on Monday threatened those holding hostages in the Middle East with unprecedented American firepower if they are not released by the time he enters office on January 20.The latest warning was posted on Truth Social came two days after Hamas released a propaganda video showing American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander pleading with the president-elect to secure his release and hours after the IDF revealed that another American-Israeli hostage — Omer Neutra — was killed during Hamas’s October 7 onslaught and that his body is being held in Gaza. We discuss what efforts have not yet been brought to the table and how Neutra's death was covered in US media. Israel’s Channel 12 reported yesterday that an Israeli delegation will travel to Cairo early next week after Egypt has put together a new multi-stage hostage deal proposal. Also, earlier in the week, we heard that the Palestinian terror group Hamas and the Palestinian Authority’s Fatah party have agreed to create a committee to jointly administer postwar Gaza. Magid weighs in whether this new alliance could be enough to give Hamas the lifeline it needs to claim post-war victory. US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday announced the appointment of his Lebanese-American in-law Massad Boulos to be his senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Boulos will likely work alongside Steve Witkoff, who Trump last month appointed as his special envoy for the Middle East to work on expanding the Abraham Accords that he brokered at the end of his first term. Are these the right men for the job? For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Trump warns there will be ‘all hell to pay’ if hostages aren’t released by Jan. 20 Slain Israeli-American hostage remembered as ‘hero of Israel’ at NY memorial service Fatah, Hamas agree to form committee to run postwar Gaza Trump says Lebanese-American in-law will be senior aide on Arab and Mideast affairs Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Illustrative: Campaigning for a second term, former US President Donald Trump speaks before prominent Jewish donors at an event titled 'Fighting Antisemitism in America' at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, Washington DC, September 19, 2024. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images via JTA)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Arab Affairs correspondent Gianluca Pacchiani and environmental reporter Sue Surkes join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Pacchiani reviews the reactions from Lebanese Shiites following the temporary ceasefire with Hezbollah, and how the Iran-backed terrorist organization will presumably lay low after being battered during the last months of the war with the IDF. He also looks at rebel groups in northwestern Syria fighting the weakened regime of the Bashar Al Assad regime. The rebel forces, who are against Hezbollah, hope that Israel will strike Iranian convoys and Hezbollah forces inside Syria, aiding their cause. Surkes discusses the weak climate bill that's being pushed through the Knesset, a piece of legislation that lacks targets, has no budget and won't serve as a tool in petitioning the government on climate targets. She also looks at a Greenpeace Israel project that tracked used clothing by using AirTags, and found that the used textiles ended up mostly in the West Bank and Africa, where they were primarily dumped or turned into rags. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Lebanon’s Shiites increasingly reject role of scapegoat in Hezbollah’s war on Israel Who are the rebels battering Syria’s regime, and do they pose a risk to Israel? Most used clothes deposited in textile recycling bins end up in Africa — report Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Children take part in recycling and environmental activities in southern Tel Aviv, November 28, 2024 (Photo by Dor Pazuelo/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today’s episode. The Israeli military launched a wave of airstrikes in Lebanon on Monday evening after Hezbollah fired two mortars at the Mount Dov area for the first time since the ceasefire went into effect last week. Fabian will tells us what’s happening on the ground as well as efforts to stop Iranian weapons shipments bound for Hezbollah — including the Israel Air Force making a plane turn back to Tehran. Fourteen months after Hamas’s terror onslaught on October 7, 2023, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that Cpt. Omer Maxim Neutra, 21, was killed during the attack and his body was being held hostage in the Gaza Strip. We hear of a new kind of evidence may have allowed the IDF to draw this conclusion. The Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) says that some 780 aid trucks are awaiting pickup on the Gazan side of the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip, after just 43 were collected yesterday by international organizations. We hear what the current holdup is — and what may be a solution. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: IDF launches wave of strikes in Lebanon after Hezbollah mortar attack Israeli jets block Iranian plane suspected of ferrying arms to Hezbollah over Syria IDF says US-Israeli hostage Cpt. Omer Neutra killed on Oct. 7 and his body held in Gaza Fatah, Hamas agree to form committee to run postwar Gaza Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: A view of south Lebanon from a destroyed home in Kibbutz Manara, November 27, 2024. (Eli Katzoff)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Political correspondent Tal Schneider and health editor Diana Bletter join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Schneider discusses the latest in the hostage talks as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be showing a growing interest in connecting with hostage families and discussing negotiations, possibly as a result of incoming President-elect Donald Trump. She also looks at the visit of Housing and Construction Minister Yitzchak Goldknopf to sites in the Gaza Strip where he says he wants to reestablish Jewish settlements, and why an ultra-Orthodox Knesset minister would involve himself in that political storm. Bletter speaks about her visits in the last week to several northern communities and cities that were devastated by the last 14 months of war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and what residents who were visiting their homes or stayed in the north have to say about the temporary ceasefire. Bletter also looks at Tel Aviv University research that could be promising in terms of treatment for aspects of a certain type of autism. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Netanyahu convenes discussion on hostage negotiations with new ceasefire push Top Likud minister said to support ousting Netanyahu in talk with hostage relatives Touring Gaza border region, senior Haredi minister calls to resettle the Strip In northern border town of Shlomi, a wary trickle home in the shadow of a fragile ceasefire Northern evacuees question whether a ceasefire deal is enough to see them home Israeli study finds gene mutation that may cause some autism, possibly enabling treatment Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Minister of Construction and Housing Yitzchak Goldknopf at the Knesset on November 11, 2024 (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. As the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon continues to basically hold, this morning, Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi said he will leave Tehran for Damascus to deliver a message of support for Syria’s government and armed forces after a lightning advance by rebels. Berman breaks down the Syrian rebellion, part two, and the potential spillover ramifications for Israel. Iran sees the days-old ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah as a chance to rebuild the Lebanon-based terror organization, as well as its welfare and political wings. Berman weighs in. The Hamas terror group on Saturday released a propaganda video showing signs of life from hostage Edan Alexander, 20, in the first video of its kind in months. Also yesterday, Hamas said it was open to discussing “all ideas and proposals,” a senior official from the Palestinian terror group told AFP, as representatives arrived in Cairo on Saturday for talks with Egyptian negotiators on a possible hostage-ceasefire deal in Gaza. We hear about other remarks of this nature and what they may signify. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Syrian military says dozens of soldiers killed in major Islamist attack on Aleppo Iran ‘firmly supports’ Assad as top envoy travels to Damascus after rebel attacks Iran sees ceasefire as a chance to take stock and rebuild Hezbollah – report Hamas says open to ‘all ideas and proposals’ ahead of hostage-truce talks in Cairo In Hamas propaganda video, hostage Edan Alexander pleads with Trump to push for deal Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Anti-government fighters pose for a picture on a tank on the road leading to Maaret al-Numan in Syria's northwestern Idlib province on November 30, 2024. (Muhammad Haj Kadour / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Times of Israel blogger Tuvia Book joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's bonus What Matters Now episode. Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan. Tuvia Book was honorably discharged as a combat medic in the Israel Defense Forces following the 2006 Second Lebanon War. Like most Israeli reservists, however, he stashed a uniform in his basement, "just in case." That emergency occurred on October 7, 2023, when Book, learning of the Hamas murderous onslaught on southern Israel, pulled out that uniform and, hearing a rumor that some units based in the south were lacking combat medics, packed his car and drove. He arrived, without enlistment papers and no longer registered in the draconian IDF bureaucracy. He was accepted into the Palmar Asaf Medical Extraction Unit and fought his way back into the IDF system. Book, who in "real life" is a Times of Israel blogger, a tour guide, author and Jewish educator," has served in the reserves for the past 12 out of 14 months of war. At the end of November, the Medical Corps reported that some 5,300 wounded soldiers had been treated amid the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip and another 700 in Lebanon. Book describes his unique reservists unit, and how a combination of speed, professionalism and technology is resulting in a vastly lower case fatality rate — the proportion of wounded who end up dying -- than in any previous war. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Reservist Tuvia Book, a combat medic in the Palmar Asaf Medical Extraction Unit, on a Gazan beach, 2024. (courtesy)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. As of this morning, Lebanese residents are still prohibited from moving south to a line of villages and their surroundings until further notice. We talk about what Israeli soldiers are currently doing in Lebanon to enforce the fragile ceasefire. A series of Israeli strikes on border crossings between Lebanon and Syria just before a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect Wednesday morning were intended to set back the terror group’s smuggling efforts, while driving home as a stark warning to Damascus that Israel will take severe action to prevent attempts to rearm Hezbollah with Iranian weapons via Syrian territory. Fabian discusses the large-scale smuggling efforts. The IDF published a summary of its activities against Hezbollah in the past 14 months, including the capture of some 12,000 explosive devices and drones; 13,000 rockets, launchers, and anti-tank and anti-aircraft missile systems; and 121,000 pieces of communications equipment and computers. How degraded is Hezbollah as a fighting force? The Shin Bet recently foiled an attempt by Iran to smuggle large amounts of advanced weapons, including rockets, to terror operatives in the West Bank for use in attacks on Israeli targets, the security agency revealed Wednesday. Fabian updates us on this foiled attempt and how widespread such efforts may be. According to a report in The New York Times, Hamas is displaying increased flexibility in long-stalled talks for an elusive ceasefire and hostage deal in the Gaza Strip, and may agree to the Israel Defense Forces temporarily remaining on the enclave’s border with Egypt. Fabian explains how strategic this position is, especially to prevent any rearmament of Hamas. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: As fresh truce holds, IDF says over 12,500 Hezbollah targets hit in 14 months of war PM threatens ‘intensive war’ if truce breached, as restrictions end in much of Israel IDF strikes Hezbollah rocket depot, launch sites after identifying truce violations Israel warns Syria of ‘direct price’ to pay if it helps Hezbollah rearm Israel says it nabbed large trove of Iranian arms destined for West Bank attack Increasingly flexible Hamas said open to temporary IDF presence at Gaza-Egypt border Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Displaced Lebanese returning to their homes inspect the damage in the southern Lebanese village of Tair Debba on November 28, 2024. (Mahmoud Zayyat / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Yesterday, as the fragile ceasefire began IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari clarified the IDF’s role in its implementation in a press conference and said any Hezbollah violation of the ceasefire agreement “will be answered with fire.” At the same time, many in Israel wonder why a permanent buffer zone wasn't included in the deal, something US envoy Amos Hochstein called a “fantasy.” Magid tells us more. A US official confirmed to Magid yesterday that the Biden administration is advancing a $680 million weapon package to Israel. Could the package be tied to the claim by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US has been delaying weapon shipments to Israel? US President Joe Biden is launching a renewed drive for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal now that Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a truce in Lebanon, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Wednesday, saying, “President Biden intends to begin that work today by having his envoys engage with Turkey, Qatar, Egypt and other actors in the region.” We discuss the new inclusion of Turkey in the list of potential negotiators.For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: US envoy dismisses ‘fantasy’ of deal that would include IDF buffer zone in Lebanon IDF warns Lebanon truce violations ‘will be answered with fire’; troops shoot at suspects US confirms $680m arms sale to Israel, but says it was in works pre-Lebanon deal Arab mediators: Netanyahu stalling, wrongly thinks Trump will deliver better Gaza deal Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Pro-Palestinian demonstrators take part in a rally to condemn the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, at Hagia Sophia Square in Istanbul, on August 3, 2024. (Kemal Aslan/ AFP)  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The ceasefire agreement took effect at 4 am local time and IDF troops are still positioned in some areas of southern Lebanon. The militaries in Israel and Lebanon have warned Lebanese civilians against returning to villages where soldiers are still deployed for now. We discuss how fragile this calm is. Horovitz outlines what was included in the agreement and what was left out, including a buffer zone, which residents of the north consider crucial. We compare and contrast how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden spoke about the ceasefire when announcing it to the world yesterday. A snap television poll on Tuesday evening found Israelis divided over the framework for a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Among supporters of Netanyahu’s governing coalition, just 20% said they supported the ceasefire deal, while 45% said they opposed it and 35% said they didn’t know. We hear potential reasons why Netanyahu pushed for the ceasefire at this time. Israeli, Palestinian and American sources and officials believe the loss of Hezbollah support may push the Gazan terror group to soften its demands, breaking a prolonged deadlock in the negotiations. What could change? For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire comes into effect, halting nearly 14 months of fighting ‘Peace is possible’: Announcing Lebanon truce, US insists this time will be different 20% of coalition voters back Lebanon truce, vs. 50% of opposition voters, poll finds Officials hope Lebanon truce will isolate Hamas, pave way to deal in Gaza Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: A driver holds up portraits of Hezbollah's slain leaders Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine as people return to Beirut’s southern suburbs on November 27, 2024, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect. (Ibrahim Amro/ AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

IMAGE: An Israeli soldier stands guard behind sandbags in Kibbutz Hanita near Israel's border with Lebanon, November 24, 2024. (Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. After initial approval of the US-backed ceasefire proposal with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now working on how to present it to the public. Berman discusses the reported contours of the deal -- and whether Iran will be on board. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid has presented a plan for a regional commission in Riyadh to, among other goals, end the fighting in Lebanon and Gaza. Part of his plan involves the release of the hostages and a six-month truce, during which an Emirati-Egyptian-Moroccan-PA force would enter Gaza and take over the distribution of humanitarian aid and rebuilding. What are the chances of its success? A new Channel 12 investigation claims Netanyahu received detailed intelligence in 2014 about Hamas’s plans to invade Israel and on a number of occasions rejected proposals to preemptively assassinate Hamas leaders. Berman weighs in. Rabbi Zvi Kogan, 28, vanished in Dubai on Thursday, where he ran a kosher grocery store, and his body was discovered yesterday. We hear updates. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Israel said to agree in principle to Lebanon ceasefire offer, though some issues remain Lapid presents wide-ranging peace initiative starting with truces in Gaza and Lebanon Netanyahu for years declined to kill terror chiefs, downplayed Hamas threat — report United Arab Emirates arrests three suspects in murder of Chabad rabbi Zvi Kogan Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: View of a house hit from missiles fired by Hezbollah from Lebanon into Metula, on the Israeli border with Lebanon, November 20, 2024. (David Cohen/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Fabian was in Lebanon last week, where troops have pushed into the “second line of villages,” about 4-5 miles from the border. He describes what he saw and speaks about a briefing he had with a senior Israeli defense official, who told reporters Thursday that there is a substantial chance of Israel reaching a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. Five Hamas terrorists who participated in the October 7 onslaught were killed in a recent airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Friday, noting that two were commanders who led the massacre and kidnapping of civilians from the Mefalsim area during the brutal attack. Fabian updates us on what is going on inside Gaza right now, even as winter rains are approaching. This morning, Defense Minister Israel Katz said he will not approve the promotion of two officers from the IDF Southern Command until their role in the failures of October 7 are investigated. This comes after IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi announced a new round of senior appointments in the military, including 11 new brigadier generals and four new colonels, as well as six brigadier generals and 19 colonels who are moving to new positions at the same rank. We discuss several of the new appointments and some of the pressures on Katz. Emirati authorities have found the body of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, an emissary to Abu Dhabi’s Chabad chapter missing since Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Ministry said in a joint statement Sunday. This is a developing story, but Fabian describes what we know so far. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Aiming to enable return of displaced Israelis, IDF pushes deeper into south Lebanon Woman lightly wounded as Hezbollah fires rockets and drones at center, north Defense official says major chance for Lebanon truce after US envoy visits for talks IDF says it killed five Hamas terrorists who led Mefalsim area massacres on Oct. 7 Body of slain Chabad rabbi found in UAE; Israel condemns ‘antisemitic act of terror’ Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Lt. Col. Roi Katz, a battalion commander in the 188th Armored Brigade in southern Lebanon, November 20, 2024. (Emanuel Fabian/Times of Israel)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. In a speech today in Istanbul, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the “courageous decision” of the International Criminal Court to seek the arrest of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant. The ICC issued the warrants against the Israeli leaders and Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif on Thursday on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Gaza conflict. We discuss how this as a new line in the sand for Israel-supporting countries. Yesterday, new Defense Minister Israel Katz announced an end to administrative detention orders for West Bank settlers. Almost on the heels of this announcement, several dozen Jewish extremists in Hebron for an annual pilgrimage tried to attack the head of the IDF Central Command Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth. Five were arrested. Horovitz weighs in on this announcement and other unsettling news regarding settlers this week. In a highly unusual move, the State Prosecutor’s Office on Friday published a rebuttal to allegations that it has been selectively enforcing the law concerning leaked intelligence information with the grave charges it has brought against Eli Feldstein, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and an unnamed IDF reservist, in relation to the leak of a stolen, classified document to German newspaper Bild. A second PMO spokesman, Jonathan Urich, was questioned by the Israel Police’s Lahav 433 major crimes unit for a second time on Wednesday as part of the probe. Horovitz discusses the prosecutor's unusual move to publish a Q&A on the case and raises other outstanding questions surrounding it. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: UK indicates it could arrest Netanyahu on ICC warrant, as Hungary invites him to visit Analysts warn ICC arrest warrants could pave way to future arms embargoes on Israel Defense minister declares end to administrative detention against West Bank settlers Several dozen Jewish extremists in Hebron try to attack IDF’s top West Bank commander Troops smuggled settler leader into Gaza to survey settlement options – report State prosecution posts rare rebuttal of ‘misinformation’ relating to PMO intel leak case Report: Netanyahu adviser Urich questioned for second time in document leak case Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Undated photo of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands. (Oliver de la Haye/iStock)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Magid first discusses the legal bombshell of the International Criminal Court's decision Thursday to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The prime minister has stated that he won't comply, but Magid points out that there are countries abroad that would comply and whose recognition matters to Israel. Magid also looks at the recent Senate vote, in which more Democrats supported efforts to withhold aid against Israel, and he points out that several Democrats who are not usually part of that progressive camp also voted for it. He talks about the UN Security Council measure calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the US veto because the measure did not couple the truce with the immediate release of all remaining hostages. Finally, Magid turns to Netanyahu aide Eli Feldstein who may face a life term for allegedly transferring information to the German Bild newspaper, to skew the public debate over the hostage negotiations at a time when the public was turning against Netanyahu and his government. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: US ‘fundamentally rejects’ ICC warrants, says it’s working with Israel on next steps World split over Netanyahu, Gallant arrest warrants, as some in EU vow to uphold them Israel breathes small sigh of relief after most US Senate Democrats back arms transfers Senate motions blocking arms sales to Israel fail, but pick up Democrat support US vetoes Gaza ceasefire resolution at UN as it didn’t condition truce on hostages’ release Netanyahu aide charged with harming state security in leaked document case, could face life term Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Knesset on November 13, 2024 (Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Legal reporter Jeremy Sharon and environment reporter Sue Surkes join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Last night, some 150 right-wing activists rally outside the Tel Aviv home of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to demand her ouster. These protesters arrived after roughly twice as many people began protesting in support of the attorney general. Baharav-Miara has frequently clashed with members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government, and disagreements have increased amid ongoing investigations into the premier’s staff. Sharon explains what the most recent controversies include. Surkes returned earlier this week from Baku, Azerbaijan, where she attended a large chunk of the annual United Nations COP (Conference of the Parties) confab — better known as COP29. It kicked off on November 11 and will end on Friday. We discuss what the conference is meant to accomplish versus the cognitive dissonance she found on the ground. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Ministers rage at ‘anarchist’ AG, with one implying she’s trying to ‘kill’ Netanyahu Cabinet okays forced retirement for government legal advisers, ignoring AG criticism Labor minister agrees to court-proposed compromise on Haredi daycare subsidies At the third UN climate confab to be held in a petrostate, fact and fantasy collide Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Activists participate in a demonstration for transforming food systems at the COP29 UN Climate Summit, November 19, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The UN Security Council is slated to vote on a resolution demanding “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” in Gaza. This time, there is also the demand for the “immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.” Rettig Gur weighs in on what the chances are of its passage — and whether it is of any significance. After a meeting with Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah, Special Envoy Amos Hochstein said, “I came back [to Lebanon] because we have a real opportunity to bring this conflict to an end,” adding that gaps between the sides had been “significantly narrowed” in the talks Tuesday. Berri said the “situation is good in principle,” though some unresolved technical details remain. Why aren't we hearing such optimism from Israel? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited an Israeli military position in the Gaza Strip and reiterated an offer to lavishly pay Gazans who turn over Israeli hostages, upping the reward to $5 million for each captive, after previously suggesting Israel would pay “several million” for their recovery. Rettig Gur dives into what else the premier was setting out to accomplish. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: UNSC to vote on resolution demanding immediate Gaza ceasefire, freeing of hostages US envoy says Lebanon ceasefire ‘within grasp’ as soldier killed in drone strike Touring Gaza, PM vows Hamas won’t return to power, offers $5 million for hostages Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the Netzarim Corridor in the central Gaza Strip on November 19, 2024. (Maayan Toaf/GPO)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Horovitz reviews Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's critical comments about US President Joe Biden that he made during a Knesset speech on Monday. The prime minister sometimes strayed from his prepared remarks and commented more widely on Israel's retaliative attacks against Iran and the ongoing war against Hezbollah in Lebanon. He also discusses Netanyahu's remarks about the leaks from his office over the course of the last year of the war and refers to the prime minister's fury over being probed for illegal activities. Finally, Horovitz talks about Netanyahu's comments regarding the remaining hostages and the fraught aspects of the internal negotiations, on a day when hostage family members and supporters were kicked out of the Knesset gallery. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Lebanese official says Hezbollah agrees to US ceasefire proposal with ‘comments’ Netanyahu says Biden’s counsel throughout the war was repeatedly off-mark Eli Feldstein, Netanyahu aide jailed in leaks case, placed under suicide watch Hostage families barred from showing videos of loved ones in Knesset committee meeting Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Hostage families hold up photos of their loved ones in the gallery of the Knesset on November 18, 2024. (Photo by Chaim Goldberg FLASH90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. US envoy Amos Hochstein will travel to the Lebanese capital Beirut tomorrow for talks on a ceasefire between the Hezbollah terror group and Israel. We’ll hear Berman's assessment of the chances of success in these talks. Last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosted an emergency meeting on efforts to free hostages held in Gaza with a select group of ministers and the top security brass, who had reportedly planned to tell the forum that agreeing to end the war with Hamas was the only way to reach a deal to free the captives. Berman describes a few "wild card" ideas that could potentially force some movement in the negotiations. Even as senior members of Hamas’s leadership abroad left Qatar last week for Turkey, President Isaac Herzog reportedly canceled his planned visit to the United Nations COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, because Turkey refused to allow the Israeli state airplane, Wing of Zion, to fly though its airspace. We speak about how unusual it is for Turkey to deny passage to a figure of Herzog's stature. Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts released Sunday from an upcoming new book ahead of the pontiff’s jubilee year. It’s the first time that Francis has openly urged an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. How seriously should Israel take these comments in light of the some 1.3 billion baptized Catholics around the world? Senator John Thune said Sunday that the US must pass legislation threatening the International Criminal Court with sanctions if it seeks arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or other Israeli officials, noting that the House has already passed sanctions legislation on a bipartisan basis. With the clock ticking at the ICC, could these efforts have an effect? For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Hezbollah media chief killed in IDF strike on central Beirut Stance on ending war must soften for hostage deal, security chiefs said to tell PM Hamas officials booted by Qatar last week, now hosted in Turkey, diplomat says Herzog canceled trip to climate confab because Turkey barred him from airspace — report Pope calls for probe into whether Israel is committing ‘genocide’ in Gaza Incoming Senate majority leader threatens ICC with sanctions over case against Israelis Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Pope Francis delivers the Angelus noon prayer in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, November 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. A barrage of some 20 rockets was launched from Lebanon at the Western Galilee and Haifa Bay area just ahead of this conversation. Yesterday also saw some 80 rockets fired at the same areas. At the same time, the IDF has reportedly removed roadblocks on the northern border which were to prevent civilians from driving on roads that were exposed to anti-tank missile fire from Lebanon. Is this a sign that northern residents may soon return home? This morning, the IDF has issued additional evacuation orders for four more buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs ahead of a second wave of airstrikes on Hezbollah assets. We hear what is happening with this increased daytime strikes and learn about how Hezbollah fights differently from Hamas on the ground. In recent weeks, the turnout rate in the reservist units currently fighting in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip has varied between 75% and 85%, according to defense sources. But today, some 7,000 enlistment orders to ultra-Orthodox Israelis will begin to be delivered and, as Fabian reported last week, we’ve already seen some signs that this year already represents a larger turnout than years past. Fabian weighs in. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: IDF said to remove roadblocks near northern border ahead of possible return of displaced residents Soldier killed in Lebanon as IDF pounds Hezbollah; rocket hits Haifa synagogue Reservist killed in northern Gaza Strip; hostage holders said incommunicado Sharp drop seen in reservist response rate due to burnout amid long war Angering coalition ally, new Defense Minister Katz okays 7,000 more Haredi draft orders IDF sees increase in draft of Haredi troops, but is still far off from goals Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Damage caused to vehicles and buildings from a missile fired from Lebanon on November 16, 2024, in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, photographed on November 17, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.