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.

Today is Day 153 of the war. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.

We hear statements from two journalists who arguably have the ear of the White House. Horovitz discusses how representative the statements are as every move the Biden administration makes in the war in Gaza is scrutinized ahead of the US elections in November.

On April 30, 2021, during the coronavirus pandemic, 45 people were killed in a crush at the Mount Meron gravesite of a second-century sage in northern Israel. After two and a half years of work, a state commission of inquiry headed by retired judge Dvora Berliner has named a number of officials responsible for the disaster in a 320-page report. We hear about the results of the inquiry as well as political blowback.

In Horovitz's weekly column yesterday, he proposed that we’re living in the most worrying period for Jews since WWII. How is he seeing this play out?

For the latest updates, please look at The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Live blog March 7, 2024

Report: Biden mulling moves to keep Israel from using US weapons in Rafah

State inquiry blames Netanyahu, but does not sanction him, for deadly 2021 Meron crush

Likud derides inquiry on deadly Meron crush as ‘political weapon’ against Netanyahu

Full text of inquiry’s findings on officials’ responsibility for 2021 Meron disaster

We’re living in the most worrying period for Jews since World War II

THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel

THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown

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: Victims of the April 30, 2021, Mount Meron disaster: Top row (L-R): Chen Doron, Haim Rock, Ariel Tzadik, Yossi Kohn, Yisrael Anakvah, Yishai Mualem, Yosef Mastorov, Elkana Shiloh and Moshe Levy; 2nd row (L-R): Shlomo Zalman Leibowitz, Shmuel Zvi Klagsbald, Mordechai Fakata, Dubi Steinmetz, Abraham Daniel Ambon, Eliezer Gafner, Yosef Greenbaum, Yehuda Leib Rubin and Yaakov Elchanan Starkovsky; 3rd row (L-R): Haim Seler, Yehoshua Englard, Moshe Natan Neta Englard, Yedidia Hayut, Moshe Ben Shalom, David Krauss, Eliezer Tzvi Joseph, Yosef Yehuda Levy and Yosef Amram Tauber; 4th row (L-R): Menachem Knoblowitz, Elazar Yitzchok Koltai, Yosef David Elhadad, Shraga Gestetner, Yonatan Hebroni, Shimon Matalon, Elazar Mordechai Goldberg, Moshe Bergman and Daniel Morris; 5th row (L-R): Ariel Achdut, Moshe Mordechai Elhadad, Hanoch Slod, Yedidya Fogel, Menahem Zakbah, Simcha Diskind, Moshe Tzarfati, Nahman Kirshbaum and Eliyahu Cohen.

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