The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

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.

US correspondent Jacob Magid and Tech Israel editor Sharon Wrobel join host Jessica Steinberg for today's podcast.

Magid discusses the protests and protestors who gathered outside during Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s speech to the Israel Bonds gathering in Washington, DC, as well as the finance minister's conciliatory words and gestures following his previous remarks about the Huwara riots.

Magid also looks at how Smotrich spent his four days in the US, given his lack of invitations from US officials as well as from mainstream Jewish organizations.

Wrobel talks about the consumer price index released on Wednesday, with Israeli inflation numbers higher than expected in February and central bank governor Amir Yaron's interview on CNN on Wednesday.

She also discusses the reactions and unity of the Israeli high-tech community following the failure of the Silicon Valley Bank, and plans to recover.

Discussed articles include:

Overhaul or occupation? Smotrich trip dredges up Israeli-Diaspora rift at DC protest

In US, Smotrich walks back Huwara remark, touts unity, as hundreds protest; 7 arrests

In New York, Smotrich predicts compromise on overhaul that ‘mainstream’ will accept

Israeli inflation higher than forecast in February, boosting odds of more rate hikes

Tel Aviv shares drop as SVB failure triggers cash-flow concern for Israeli startups

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IMAGE: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich leads a Religious Zionism faction meeting in the Givat Harel settlement in the West Bank, February 14, 2023. (Sraya Diamant/Flash90)

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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.

Knesset correspondent Carrie Keller Lynn and legal affairs reporter Jeremy Sharon join Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.

Keller Lynn starts of the program with a quick lowdown on where key parts of the judicial overhaul legislation stand right now and what we could expect from today's Knesset plenum.

Yesterday evening, senior MK Yuli Edelstein was sanctioned by his Likud party for missing two key votes tied to the judicial overhaul. We hear what Edelstein's camp is saying about why he missed the votes and also the consequences of his punishment.

A bill that Edelstein sponsored passed its first reading on Monday night that would repeal the clauses of the 2005 Disengagement Law that ban Israelis from living in the region where the four settlements of Homesh, Ganim, Kadim and Sa-Nur previously stood in the northern West Bank. What could be the bill’s significance beyond these four settlements?

In a statement last night, Kohelet, the right-wing think tank that has been a firebrand force in instigating the judicial overhaul package, seems to be pushing for a broad consensus compromise. Sharon weighs in.

Keller Lynn reported Monday that four of the Knesset’s opposition parties plan to boycott final votes to pass the government’s judicial overhaul, currently expected before the end of the month. Since the coalition obviously has a majority, what is the weight of this move?

Discussed articles include:

Likud sanctions Edelstein for skipping votes on judicial overhaul

Hours before Knesset votes, Edelstein questions coalition’s judicial overhaul push

Disengagement repeal law for northern West Bank approved in first reading

Right-wing think tank that inspired judicial overhaul calls for compromise

Opposition heads vow to boycott final votes on overhaul; PM attacks ‘leftist’ media

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IMAGE: Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein leads a Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem on February 12, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

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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.

Political writer Tal Schneider and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman join host Jessica Steinberg for today's podcast.

Schneider reviews the judicial overhaul bills advanced Monday night in the Knesset, as the coalition pushed through several key bills, including the override clause.

Berman discusses his analysis about why Saudi Arabia signed a major agreement with Israel’s archenemy, Iran, when Netanyahu had said he would be working on an agreement with Riyadh, expanding the Abraham Accords.

Schneider talks about President Isaac Herzog's emerging role in the volatile judicial reform situation, his willingness to try and create a compromise and what he might say Tuesday night in a public statement.

Berman speaks about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Rome last weekend, one of several European trips he's making at the moment, given the lack of invitations from the US or Abraham Accord countries.

Discussed articles include:

MKs approve 1st reading of override clause, in major step toward judicial overhaul

As Saudis sidle up to Iran, some see US apathy, Israeli political chaos to blame

Far from Tel Aviv, news of attack clouds Netanyahu event with Italian Jewish leaders

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IMAGE: Israel's President Isaac Herzog attends a Honorary Citizenship Ceremony in Tel Aviv, March 13, 2023 (Photo by Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

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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.

Editor David Horovitz and military correspondent Emanuel Fabian join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode.

On Thursday night, while Or Asher, Rotem Mansano and Michael Osdon, were on the way to a friend’s wedding, a 23-year-old Palestinian terrorist opened fire on them outside a Tel Aviv cafe. Fabian updates on the status of the three friends and on the investigation into the planning of the attack.

As Horovitz noted in an op-ed he wrote following the Tel Aviv attack and a Thursday night speech by President Isaac Herzog, it fell to the newly dismissed Tel Aviv police chief Amichai Eshed to oversee the aftermath of the shooting. What is the broader significance of Eshed's dismissal and the ripple of controversy since?

Amid the apparently growing unrest among reservists, over the weekend, IDF chief Herzi Halevi made the comment, “a secure dictatorship is better than an unprotected anarchy.” What is the context of this statement, which he has since walked back?

On Friday, head of the opposition Yair Lapid released a statement again calling for a formal constitution. In addition to codifying the Declaration of Independence, the Lapid constitution would also include three overarching laws: a declaration of the supremacy of the country’s Basic Laws, a determination of the number of Haredi men that Israeli society and the economy can support in full-time study and a definition of the possibilities for judicial review of Knesset legislation. Horovitz weighs in.

Discussed articles include:

Three victims in Tel Aviv terror shooting were en route to friend’s wedding

Tel Aviv’s ousted top cop said to tell police commissioner he’s ‘unfit’ to lead force

A speech, a sacking and a terror attack underline that Netanyahu must change course

Tel Aviv police crisis presages potential constitutional showdown

IDF chief says military can only function in a ‘Jewish democratic state’

Lapid proposes constitution for Israel to extract itself from ‘terrible crisis’

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IMAGE: Chief of Police Kobi Shabtai speaks with IDF Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi (left) at the Police headquarters in Jerusalem on January 27, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

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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.

Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur and news editor Amy Spiro join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.

On Thursday night on primetime news, President Isaac Herzog denounced the government’s judicial overhaul legislation as “oppressive” and harmful to democracy, and called for it to be abandoned immediately and replaced by a framework for consensual reform. Rettig Gur gives highlights from the speech and talks about one of the main roots of continued strife -- a lack of trust.

Spiro wrote a in-depth look at the potential closure of KAN, the public broadcasting conglomeration that includes radio, nightly news and programs such as Teheran. She explains who is spearheading the potential closure — this time at least.

Noa Kirel has unveiled her new Eurovision song, "Unicorn." We hear response to it so far.

Discussed articles include:

Anti-overhaul protesters call to turn up heat as over 300,000 estimated at rallies

Herzog tells coalition to abandon its ‘oppressive’ overhaul package, seek consensus

Likud minister slams ‘hysterical’ Herzog speech calling for overhaul to be abandoned

No Kan do: How Israel’s public broadcaster ended up in the government’s firing line

Noa Kirel unveils her Eurovision song contest entry

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IMAGE: Head of the Yesh Atid party Yair Lapid and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the assembly hall for a special session in memory of Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, on November 8, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

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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.

Political correspondent Tal Schneider and legal affairs reporter Jeremy Sharon join host Amanda Borschel-Dan in today's episode.

Ahead of protestors of the judicial overhaul's Day of Resistance today, Schneider spoke with the head of the opposition Yair Lapid and asked him what he thinks about the refusal to serve in reserve duty, how President Isaac Herzog can serve as chief negotiator and how he, Lapid, is working toward compromise.

Several high-profile thinkers, including former justice minister Daniel Friedmann and former national security adviser Giora Eiland, offered a "compromise" judicial overhaul plan. Sharon tells us more about this plan before Schneider explains why it may all be a smokescreen.

Schneider drills down into what potential role Herzog could serve as chief negotiator and what tools the president actually has. What are his five options that she set out in a Zman Yisrael article?

Discussed articles include:

Overhaul protesters gear up for ‘day of resistance’ throughout the country Thursday

Government tentatively welcomes judicial overhaul compromise, opposition unimpressed

‘A bad plan’: Think tank, legal scholars reject Friedmann overhaul compromise

Coalition to speed judicial overhaul bill toward final Knesset votes next week

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IMAGE: Israelis who oppose the Israeli government's planned judicial overhaul protest outside the home of Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv, March 3, 2023. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

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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.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian, US correspondent Jacob Magid and NY reporter Luke Tress join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.

The alleged terrorist behind a deadly shooting attack that killed Israeli brothers Hallel and Yagel Yaniv in the northern West Bank town of Huwara was one of six Palestinians killed as Israeli troops raided Jenin and exchanged fire with gunmen Tuesday. Fabian briefs us on the events of the raid.

Magid also explains what we know so far about the Biden administration’s reaction to yesterday’s raid in Jenin and how it differs from other recent IDF raids.

Magid dives into last week’s much-scoffed-at-Aqaba summit and explains why the mere fact that it took place at all is noteworthy.

Tress takes a look at the significance behind the trial of Saadah Masoud, 29, a pro-Palestinian activist who was recently sentenced to 18 months in prison for hate crimes against Jews.

Authorities in Texas have charged Hayim Nissim Cohen with a slew of sex crimes after he apparently fabricated his Jewish identity, adopted nine boys, paraded his “unique family” on social media to hundreds of thousands of followers and allegedly abused a number of children.
Tress unravels part of this tangled story.

Discussed articles include:

Alleged Huwara terrorist among six Palestinians killed as IDF raids Jenin

Rocket sirens sound in southern Israel after deadly West Bank raid

US backs Israeli right to self-defense after deadly IDF raid in Jenin

Top Abbas aide: Israel hasn’t fulfilled Aqaba promise to transfer withheld PA funds

Pro-Palestinian activist went looking to beat Jews at NYC Israel rally – prosecutors

Pro-Palestinian activist gets 18 months in prison for attacks on Jews in New York

Texan who posed as Hasidic Jew and adopted 9 boys charged with sexually abusing kids

White House to host first-ever Jewish women’s forum

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IMAGE: Mourners carry the body of a Palestinian who was shot dead by Israeli security forces during a military operation in the West Bank city of Jenin on March 7, 2023. (Nasser Ishtayeh/Flash90)

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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.

Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur and environmental reporter Sue Surkes join host Jessica Steinberg for today's podcast.

Rettig Gur unpacks the latest line of protests from IDF reservists, from pilots to rank-and-file reservists and what that means in terms of national defense and further separations in Israeli society.

Surkes discusses Israel's stretch of Mediterranean Sea after the tar spill two years ago and the budgets necessary now to continue to protect the shoreline.

She also looks at a popular urban nature spot in Jerusalem, dubbed Lupine Hill for its stretch of blue lupine flowers in the spring, currently under threat of development from an expanded police complex.

Steinberg talks about the slow local growth of pickleball, the game that combines badminton, squash and table tennis, being played mostly by retirees, along with walking soccer, for those who love team sports but don't want to run around as much.

Discussed articles include:

IDF chief warns Netanyahu that reservist protest refusals could spread in military

Tarred and shuttered: Anatomy of the oil disaster that closed Israel’s beaches

Court halts major Jerusalem Hills urban plan, orders environmental assessment

Kibbutz pickleballers have a ball while courting more team members

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IMAGE: FILE: People visit at a field of blooming lupine flowers, in Jerusalem on March 1, 2022. (Photo by Gershon Elinson/Flash90)

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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.

ToI founding editor David Horovitz and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman join host Jessica Steinberg for today's podcast.

Horovitz discusses the various statements being made regarding the judicial overhaul, and the effect of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's comments last week about Huwara on reserve duty pilots who have now expressed concern about possibly having to carry out illegal orders in the future with a muted high court.

Berman expands on how companies of reservists -- including his own -- try to keep politics out of their continued army service, and that there is broad consensus that the judicial reform is of concern in army circles as well.

Horovitz and Berman also discuss the growing world criticism from allies, including European diplomats who have watched the nationalism in Hungary and Poland, statements made by former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and whether Smotrich's comments about Huwara will affect his upcoming US trip.

Discussed articles include:

Pilots’ alarm shows Israel now in danger of entering a death spiral

Gantz urges IDF reservists to show up ‘no matter what,’ opposes any refusal to serve

Lapid, Liberman oppose reservists refusing to serve, but say their fears justified

Netanyahu welcomes Smotrich’s retraction of ‘inappropriate’ call to wipe out Huwara

Michael Bloomberg warns Israel ‘courting disaster’ with judicial overhaul

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IMAGE: FILE: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the graduation ceremony of new Israeli Air Force pilots at the Hatzerim Air Force base, December 31, 2015 (Photo by Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)

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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.

Knesset correspondent Carrie Keller Lynn and military correspondent Emanuel Fabian join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.

Organizers of the anti-judicial overhaul protests throughout the country claim that some 400,000 came out Saturday night. Police again used horse-mounted cops and water cannons against the demonstrators as they sought to disperse them. Keller Lynn sets the scene and previews Thursday's announced Day of Distubance.

On Thursday a Jerusalem court ordered police to release all of the suspects in the rampage on the Arab city of Huwara following the murder of two brothers Hallel Yaniv and Yagel Yaniv from the settlement of Har Bracha, on Sunday. But the Defense Ministry signed off on an administrative detention order for two of them, including a minor. What does this mean?

On Wednesday, Israeli troops arrested the alleged terrorists who carried out a deadly shooting attack Monday that killed Israeli-American Elan Ganeles near Jericho. Fabian explains how it played out.

On the heals of the riots in Huwara, several politicians have weighed in, causing waves of response, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionists party. Keller Lynn describes his statements and their continued ripple effect.

A soldier was arrested late last night for attempting to smuggle two Palestinians through a checkpoint near the West Bank city of Elad. We hear what is unusual here.

And finally, ahead of what appears to be another stormy week for and against the judicial overhaul in the Knesset, Keller Lynn gives us a rundown of what to expect.

Discussed articles include:

Hundreds of thousands protest government; new ‘disruption day’ called for Thursday

Soldiers, Israeli peace activists clash as army blocks solidarity march to Huwara

Two suspects in Huwara rampage, one a minor, sent to administrative detention

IDF arrests suspected terrorists behind deadly Jericho attack as victim is buried

Smotrich’s DC visit still on amid uproar, but US officials not planning to meet him

Netanyahu welcomes Smotrich’s retraction of ‘inappropriate’ call to wipe out Huwara

Israel’s judicial overhaul: What is the coalition planning and where does it stand?

What Matters Now to Haviv Rettig Gur: Taking advantage of this ‘moment of decisions’

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IMAGE: Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotirch holds a press conference in Jerusalem on February 28, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

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