Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing: Your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East, and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Today’s panel comprises founding editor David Horovitz and political correspondent Tal Schneider, along with host Amanda Borschel-Dan.

Ahead of the March 23 Israeli elections, by midnight tonight, all parties must submit their lists of candidates to the Central Elections Committee until Thursday at midnight -- or announce they aren't running. We discuss some of the surprises so far, including what it's looking like for gender balance in the next Knesset.

One of the announced mergers so far is the Religious Zionism party's cooperation with both the extremist Otzma Yehudit and anti-LGBTQ party Noam.

Finally, Schneider gives impressions of a recent interview she conducted with former US State Department policy director Peter Berkowitz, who until a few weeks ago served in the Trump administration under former secretary of state Mike Pompeo.

Discussed articles include:

Yesh Atid, Yamina, Blue and White file their election slates, ruling out mergers

Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope files election slate, heavy with ex-Likud MKs

Far-right parties led by Smotrich and Ben Gvir, a Kahane disciple, join forces

3 of 4 Arab parties of the Joint List agree on united run as Ra’am decamps

For top policy wonk Peter Berkowitz, 18 months of Pompeo and circumstance

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PHOTO: Head of Otzma Yehudit Israeli attorney Itamar Ben Gvir speaks during a ceremony marking the 27th anniversary of the death of Rabbi Meir Kahane after he was assassinated by an Arab gunman in a Manhattan hotel in November 1990, in Jerusalem, November 7, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

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