Day 83 - As Hamas war rages, a judicial overhaul bombshell drops

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 83 of the war. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's podcast.

The High Court of Justice is likely to strike down the highly controversial reasonableness law passed by the government this summer as part of its judicial overhaul program, according to a draft decision leaked to the media on Wednesday evening. Horovitz speaks to the timing of this leak and how it may impact Israeli leadership.

At the start of the ground offensive, the IDF warned the government that this would be a long and hard war. At the same time, there is a certain dissatisfaction in the pace and progress of the troops in some corners, especially as Israeli casualties climb. How are we seeing that play out in the political sphere?

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant detailed to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday, Israel is being “attacked from seven fronts — Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), Iraq, Yemen and Iran.” But is the IDF ready to defend itself on every front?

And finally, we hear some impressions from Horovitz's trip to the Gaza envelope communities this week.

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

Discussed articles include:

Live blog December 28, 2023

Bombshell leaked draft ruling shows High Court set to nix key judicial overhaul law

Northern towns rocked by heaviest Hezbollah barrages since outbreak of war

Gradually dismantling Hamas, the IDF is also battling its own government’s impatience

The war against Hamas may be almost half-done. The second half will be harder

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

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ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE: Then-Supreme Court Chief of Justice Ester Hayut and Supreme court justices arrive for a court hearing at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, October 6, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.