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.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

Following headlines worldwide and widespread anger in Israel over the allegations made in documentary film ‘NAZA’ about Israel's policies on civilian fatalities in the Gaza war, Magid reports that the Foreign Ministry has recommended to diplomats to dial down attacks on the Israeli filmmakers, assessing that ongoing furious Israeli denials are harming rather than helping.

While the next official round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is delayed to next month, Magid notes that a small meeting between the Israeli ambassador to the US and the Lebanese ambassador took place in Washington, with each party reporting that there hasn't been enough progress on either side, in terms of the Lebanese army disarming Hezbollah and Israel withdrawing from some parts of southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, a Lebanese official spoke with Magid -- although interviews with Israeli press are forbidden --  relaying the message that Lebanon does want to disarm Hezbollah and that Israel’s strikes in southern Lebanon have become too indiscriminate.

Magid also reports on the recent talks between the Houthis and the US regarding its seizure of a strategic stretch of the Red Sea coast, noting that engagement with the Iran-backed militia risks normalizing its status as an address for negotiation rather than an illegitimate actor.

After Vice President JD Vance stated in a podcast interview that US Mideast policy can't be subservient to Israel's needs, Magid discusses other aspects of the interview, including that Vance called Israel an important partner and that relationships with all US allies are based on US interests.

Finally, Magid reviews details from a leaked Board of Peace committee document summarizing 71 intended construction projects in Gaza, noting that it's all on hold because Israel hasn't agreed to the current disarmament plan.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Israeli government sends diplomats talking points to respond to ‘NAZA’ — report

Israeli, Lebanese envoys hold ‘positive’ meeting in Washington

Lebanese official to ToI: ‘Indiscriminate’ IDF strikes hinder Hezbollah disarmament

Vance: US cannot let its Mideast foreign policy be ‘subservient to Israel’

Houthis met US officials in Oman, promised not to hit American, Israeli ships — sources

Gaza-bound technocrats draw up 71 rebuilding projects, which hinge on Israeli approval

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht produced this episode.

IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (AP)

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.

The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen’s Houthis accused the rebels on Wednesday of targeting Islam’s holy city Mecca, sparking outrage across the Muslim world. The rebels immediately denied the accusation but did announce later in the day that they had shot down a Saudi fighter jet.

At the same time, the Houthis have captured more strategic islands in the southern Red Sea, strengthening their control of the major maritime shipping route Bab el-Mandeb, and putting more of an economic squeeze on the Saudis.

We learn how the military chiefs of Israel, the US, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt held a meeting in Germany last week about the war with Iran and regional tensions, according to the Axios news site. And we hear about how the recent Mecca Accords between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey are not bearing military fruit.

As the conflict deepens across the region, Berman weighs in on Saudi Arabia's requests for help from its allies and neighbors, and why, specifically, the United States appears to hope to stay out of it -- for now.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

‘Red line’: Houthis accused of targeting Mecca for first time in current flare-up

IDF chief met army heads of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, other Arab states to discuss Iran – report

What the closure of Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline could mean for oil flows

Houthis seize more key islands in Red Sea, launch attacks into Saudi Arabia

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yitzhak Ledee filmed and edited this episode.

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 Ariela Karmel joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Israel’s upcoming election officially took shape last week, as the last of 38 parties submitted their candidate slates for the October 27 vote. We learn about the last-minute drama and surprises.

Yesterday, the left-wing Democrat Party petitioned the Central Elections Committee to bar National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s far-right Otzma Yehudit slate from running. The party, led by Yair Golan, accused the right-wingers of undermining democracy, denying “the existence of the State of Israel as a democratic state,” and inciting racism. Karmel explains how this is expected political theater -- used by both sides of the aisle.

Karmel writes in a recent analysis that, "Reflecting a broad rightward shift among the Israeli electorate, Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot is winning voters on the right and leading in the polls by presenting a party that in many ways resembles the Likud of yesteryear." She speaks about Likud's attempts to brand  the Yashar head as a "leftist" -- and what this means in Israeli society.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Israel’s election takes shape as 38 parties submit slates, in battle between pro- and anti-Netanyahu blocs

Finalizing slate, Netanyahu fills reserved Likud slots with allies, ideologues

Democrats seek to bar Otzma Yehudit from election as polls show continued deadlock

As parties lock in, Eisenkot plots path to power through heart of old Likud

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

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 correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As Israeli politicians assail the Israeli filmmakers behind documentary “NAZA,” about Israel’s alleged AI-assisted killing of civilians in Gaza, Fabian discusses the IDF's immediate response, accusing the filmmakers of making false and unverified claims.

Fabian reports on recent IDF strikes in Gaza that killed several well-known, senior Hamas commanders, and notes that these strikes receive less attention than they did in the past.

Fabian discusses two incidents in the West Bank over the weekend -- concerning an off-duty soldier who fired at Palestinians he said were throwing stones, and a soldier who shot and injured a Palestinian during a settler clash.

After the IDF blew up Hezbollah's underground facility beneath Lebanon's Ali Taher Ridge, Fabian details aspects of the complex, and explains why it took so long to carry out the operation.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Culture minister urges revoking citizenship of ‘NAZA’ film creators for ‘treason’

IDF says it killed two Hamas engineers in Gaza strike; 13 others reported injured

IDF kills commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade in southern Gaza airstrike

IDF soldier shoots, injures Palestinian who posed no apparent threat amid settler clash

Off-duty soldier suspended for firing at Palestinians in West Bank, says they threw stones

IDF blows up Hezbollah’s ‘strategic’ complex beneath south Lebanon’s Ali Taher Ridge

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)

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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 joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Today, we're taking a break from the news and getting a sneak peek into Schneider's new Hebrew-language book, "Milchama Mishelahen" ("Israel's Women Warriors").

Recently published by Yediot Aharonoth, the book charts Israel's female fighters -- from the pre-state underground resistance movements to the landmark court case of Alice Miller, to today's combat soldiers.

Schneider describes how, immediately on October 7, 2023, she knew it was imperative to chronicle the s valor committed by groups of female soldiers -- often in the face of certain death. We hear how their sacrifice saved innumerable Israelis and turned the tide of a wave of Hamas terrorists in several locations.

However, there are still immense challenges to the integration of women into the combat forces. Schneider gives humorous -- and devastating -- examples of the cultural bias women face.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Check out the first chapter of Tal Schneider's new book (Hebrew)

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with the head of the Israel Democracy Institute, Yohanan Plesner.

As millions of Israeli voters will cast a fateful ballot on October 27, what are the top three issues driving them to the polls -- and why?

Plesner, a former member of Knesset for the now-defunct Kadima party, begins the program by explaining the purpose and goals of the IDI, which he calls a "think-and-do-tank."

We learn about the overabundance of parties that officially registered this week, the use of joint party "lists" to reduce wasted votes and how a politician's word may be somewhat flexible, leading to broken promises.

Even after a vote is cast, the challenges in setting up a stable coalition are immense. It is not at all clear that we're not about to head to another series of inconclusive elections, warns Plesner.

And so this week, we ask Yohanan Plesner what matters now.

What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.

This week, we abandon all pretense of intellectuality and hunker down to watch the new Gal Gadot vehicle, "The Runner," now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

The film is a fast-paced sprint through London, during which Gadot must arrive at a certain location to save her son, who is in an induced diabetic coma.

The plot seems simple, but the end carries a twist that got Borschel-Dan's husband thinking the whole week.

Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.

The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.

Israel's relationship with the West, especially Europe, took an unhappy turn this week, as UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced that his country would be imposing widespread sanctions on Israel's settlements.

France and Canada said they would impose similar penalties, while other European countries called for EU measures against Israeli settlements.

The European Leadership Network, or ELNET, works to improve ties between Israel and Europe. Yossi Abravanel, ELNET Israel's deputy director, joined Lazar Focus to explain why countries are announcing sanctions now, and how Israel should respond.

According to Abravanel, domestic politics is the main driver of the decision to impose sanctions on Israeli settlements. He said that countries are willing to harm their own interests to appease anti-Israel voters, and that an advisor to the previous British prime minister Keir Starmer told him as much.

He said that Israel should not "go too far" in its response to the sanctions. Europe is Israel's largest trade partner, he stressed.

Israel must keep lines of communication with European countries open, and stress that Israel is a democracy fighting for shared values.

Encouragingly, Abravanel noted that opposition parties in many countries considered hostile to Israel, including in Spain, pledge that they will overturn anti-Israel moves by sitting left-wing governments.

He emphasized that Germany, which opposed the sanctions, works to protect Israel in the EU every day, and Israelis should recognize the lengths to which Germany goes for the Jewish state.

Lazar Focus is available on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.

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.

Following this week's MEAD conference in Washington, DC, Magid reports on a conversation with a Board of Peace official who says that cooperation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding Gaza was mostly positive, until the Israeli leader entered campaign mode and wants to avoid any notion that he is acquiescing to Hamas.

On the topic of Gaza, Magid discusses another Board of Peace matter: the stalled training of 283,000 Palestinian police, as Israel currently won't allow the vetted applicants to leave Gaza to train in Egypt.

Magid reports on a conversation at MEAD with the president of Somaliland, the self-declared republic that broke from Somalia in 1991 and which Israel recognized in December 2025, and the president's discussion about sending troops to Gaza.

On the topic of Gaza, Magid discusses another Board of Peace matter: the stalled training of 283,000 Palestinian police, as Israel currently won’t allow the vetted applicants to leave Gaza to train in Egypt.

Magid also reports on a conversation at MEAD with the president of Somaliland — the self-declared republic that broke from Somalia in 1991 and that Israel recognized in December 2025 — about sending troops to Gaza.

Following US President Donald Trump’s recent messaging regarding the United Kingdom’s far-reaching sanctions on the West Bank, Magid notes that the US leader said mildly that he wanted to discuss the matter further with Israel. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio notably did not condemn the British move, and said the US wants to see more stability in the West Bank.

Magid also discusses efforts in the Palestinian Authority to try and obtain a travel visa for President Mahmoud Abbas to speak at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York, after the US said it is planning to bar him due to its ongoing frustration with the PA.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Board of Peace official: We won’t have leverage over Netanyahu until after election

Israel barring recruits it vetted for Gaza police from leaving Strip for training

Trump, briefed in advance, didn’t ask UK to wait with settlement sanctions — official

PA submits US entry applications, testing plan to ban Abbas from UN confab — officials

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht produced this episode.

IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid appears on the Daily Briefing with host Jessica Steinberg (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.

Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband on Tuesday announced a ban on all dealings with West Bank settlements, as well as sweeping sanctions and a range of other punitive measures. His speech in the House of Commons featured Britain’s strongest-ever criticism of the settlement enterprise and Israel’s “unlawful occupation.” We delve into the various allegations leveled at Israel and how Miliband leverages his Jewish background to make them.

Some 10 days before Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was personally warned by the leader of the United Arab Emirates that Hamas was planning a major offensive move against Israel, but he did not update Israeli security leaders and did nothing with the information, according to a report on Tuesday that was verified by our US bureau chief Jacob Magid. Why are these charges being made now?

Many in Israel heard booms last night as Iranian missiles were shot down over Jordan. This comes after the US military on Tuesday said it destroyed five oil tankers in Iran’s so-called shadow fleet following a pair of attempted Iranian ballistic missile attacks targeting an American warship the previous day. Berman updates us on the current status of the US-Iran war and speaks about how it is influencing Israel's neighborhood.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Denouncing ‘ethnic cleansing’ in West Bank, UK announces ban on all dealings with settlements

Full speech: Ed Miliband says entire occupation unlawful, slams ‘settler terrorists’ and Israeli government that indulges them

Trump, briefed in advance, didn’t ask UK to wait with settlement sanctions — official

Days before Oct. 7, UAE leader warned Netanyahu Hamas was planning war, but PM did nothing with info – report

US hits Iranian oil tankers after attempted missile attacks on American Navy

Touting improved ballistic missile, Iran vows preemptive action against threats

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yitzhak Ledee filmed and edited this episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.