The Times of Israel
Day 474 - As IDF operates in West Bank, settlers step up violence
- Title
- Day 474 - As IDF operates in West Bank, settlers step up violence
- Date posted
- 12 hours ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Emanuel Fabian (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/emanuel-fabian/) and settlements reporter Jeremy Sharon (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jeremy-sharon/) join host Amanda Borschel-Dan (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/amanda-borschel-dan/) for today's episode.
Four people were wounded yesterday evening by a terrorist who went on a stabbing spree in a trendy Tel Aviv neighborhood, emergency services and Israel Police said, before he was shot dead. An off-duty IDF tank officer who had lost a hand during fighting in the Gaza Strip was among those who attempted to neutralize the terrorist. Fabian tells us more.
Yesterday, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and the head of the IDF Southern Command Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman both announced their re...
- Title
- Day 474 - As IDF operates in West Bank, settlers step up violence
- Date posted
- 12 hours ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Emanuel Fabian and settlements reporter Jeremy Sharon join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Four people were wounded yesterday evening by a terrorist who went on a stabbing spree in a trendy Tel Aviv neighborhood, emergency services and Israel Police said, before he was shot dead. An off-duty IDF tank officer who had lost a hand during fighting in the Gaza Strip was among those who attempted to neutralize the terrorist. Fabian tells us more.
Yesterday, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and the head of the IDF Southern Command Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman both announced their resignations, 15 months into the war sparked by Hamas’s attack and two days after a ceasefire and hostage release deal with the terror group in the Gaza Strip went into effect. Why now and who is in ...
- Title
- Day 473 - Trump hails Gaza ceasefire during inauguration
- Date posted
- 2 days ago
- Description
- 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 (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jacob-magid/) joins host Jessica Steinberg (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jessica-steinberg/) for today's episode.
Magid reviews the leadup to President Donald Trump's inauguration into office as the 47th president of the United States, including the President-elect's role in the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal that began with the release of three female hostages on Sunday. Magid points out that reaching the second phase of the deal may be more difficult, given the pressures on Netanyahu's coalition government, and the prime minister's desire to remain fighting Hamas in Gaza.
Magid also looks at Trump and Netanyahu's various supporters, and who has sway over the two leaders in their decision-making proces...
- Title
- Day 472 - Joy, fear as hostages freed, Palestinian prisoners released
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Emanuel Fabian (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/emanuel-fabian/) and political reporter Tal Schneider (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/tal-schneider/) join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Yesterday evening, three Hamas hostages were returned to Israeli soil as part of the hostage release-ceasefire agreement that went into effect at 11:15 yesterday morning. We learn how Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were released, what we know currently of their conditions and how they were received in Israel.
Israel released 90 Palestinian security prisoners early Monday morning, hours after Hamas released the three civilian hostages on the first day of a ceasefire with the terror group in the Gaza Strip. These inmates i...
- Title
- Day 472 - Joy, fear as hostages freed, Palestinian prisoners released (Full video)
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Emanuel Fabian and political reporter Tal Schneider join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Yesterday evening, three Hamas hostages were returned to Israeli soil as part of the hostage release-ceasefire agreement that went into effect at 11:15 yesterday morning. We learn how Romi Gonen, 24, Emily Damari, 28, and Doron Steinbrecher, 31, were released, what we know currently of their conditions and how they were received in Israel.
Israel released 90 Palestinian security prisoners early Monday morning, hours after Hamas released the three civilian hostages on the first day of a ceasefire with the terror group in the Gaza Strip. These inmates included terror convicts but reportedly none convicted of murder. Where were they taken and how were they greeted?
We hear a ...
- Title
- Day 471 – Under ceasefire, Hamas steps out of shadows as IDF looks on
- Date posted
- 3 days ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
The ceasefire between Israel and the terror groups led by Hamas in the Gaza Strip came into effect at 11:15 a.m. after Hamas finally submitted the names of the three hostages set to be released this evening -- Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher. Fabian discusses what preparations are being made to receive the women.
The body of IDF soldier Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul, who was killed and captured by Hamas in 2014, was returned to Israel recently. We hear what we know about the military operation that finally closed one family’s saga, even as Israelis await dozens more hostages.
For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily B...
- Title
- Day 471 - Under ceasefire, Hamas steps out of shadows as IDF looks on
- Date posted
- 4 days ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Emanuel Fabian (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/emanuel-fabian/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
The ceasefire between Israel and the terror groups led by Hamas in the Gaza Strip came into effect at 11:15 am after Hamas finally submitted the names of the three hostages set to be released this evening, Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher. Fabian discusses what preparations are being made to receive the women.
The body of soldier Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul, who was killed and captured by Hamas in 2014, was returned to Israel recently. We hear what we know about the military operation that finally closed one family’s saga, even as Israelis await dozens more hostages.
For news updates, please check out The Time...
- Title
- Day 470 - 3 hostages set to come home Sunday under truce with Hamas
- Date posted
- 4 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Editor David Horovitz (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/david-horovitz/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
The Prime Minister’s Office issued a brief statement after 1 a.m. Saturday morning confirming the government approved the hostage release-ceasefire deal after meeting for more than seven hours. Twenty-four ministers voted in favor of the deal and eight opposed. The deal should enter into force on Sunday at 8:30 am and the first three Israeli hostages are to be freed at 4 pm. In sum, 33 hostages are to be freed in the first, 42-day phase of the deal. Horovitz speaks about the political dramas and what we know about the implementation of the deal and who is on the first-phase list.
Israel is set to release up to 1,904 Palestinian prisoners and detain...
- Title
- Day 469 - A look back at Biden on Israel: Patron or patronizer?
- Date posted
- 6 days ago
- Description
- 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 (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jacob-magid/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode, the weekly Friday Focus.
As US President Joe Biden prepares to leave office, we take a look at the relationship between the president and the Jewish state, starting with his famous meeting with prime minister Golda Meir in which he understood the importance of being a Zionist.
We hear how, after Biden's initial embrace of Netanyahu and the Israeli people following the murderous Hamas onslaught on southern Israel, the complex relationship between the president and his shifting Democratic party may have colored some of his later statements and led to micro-managing the war in Gaza.
Magid postulates that the traditionally special r...
- Title
- Day 469 - A look back at Biden on Israel: Patron or patronizer? (Full video)
- Date posted
- 6 days ago
- Description
- 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 Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode, the weekly Friday Focus.
As US President Joe Biden prepares to leave office, we take a look at the relationship between the president and the Jewish state, starting with his famous meeting with prime minister Golda Meir in which he understood the importance of being a Zionist.
We hear how, after Biden's initial embrace of Netanyahu and the Israeli people following the murderous Hamas onslaught on southern Israel, the complex relationship between the president and his shifting Democratic party may have colored some of his later statements and led to micro-managing the war in Gaza.
Magid postulates that the traditionally special relationship between the US and its ally has also led to sanctions on settler extremist...
- Title
- What Matters Now to Haviv Rettig Gur: Hamas's survival is Gaza's tragedy
- Date posted
- 6 days ago
- Description
- Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with The Times of Israel's senior analyst, Haviv Rettig Gur (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/haviv-gur/) .
When this podcast conversation was recorded, the deal between Israel and Hamas for a hostage release and temporary ceasefire in Gaza had not actually been signed and sealed. Despite jubilant announcements by mediators on Wednesday night, by Thursday morning, claims of last-minute demands from Hamas had prevented a formal announcement.
Whether or not the deal will go through, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new flexibility on several previously immovable points is noteworthy.
In our conversation, Rettig Gur postulates that there’s a reason Netanyahu seems to be struggling to speak clearly to his coalition partners and the electorate about his r...
- Title
- What Matters Now to Haviv Rettig Gur: Hamas's survival is Gaza's tragedy
- Date posted
- 6 days ago
- Description
- Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with The Times of Israel's senior analyst, Haviv Rettig Gur.
When this podcast conversation was recorded, the deal between Israel and Hamas for a hostage release and temporary ceasefire in Gaza had not actually been signed and sealed. Despite jubilant announcements by mediators on Wednesday night, by Thursday morning, claims of last-minute demands from Hamas had prevented a formal announcement.
Whether or not the deal will go through, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new flexibility on several previously immovable points is noteworthy.
In our conversation, Rettig Gur postulates that there’s a reason Netanyahu seems to be struggling to speak clearly to his coalition partners and the electorate about his reasons for supporting the deal — and about what’s going on in the talks....
- Title
- Day 468 - The complexities of making a deal with the devil
- Date posted
- 7 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Editor David Horovitz (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/david-horovitz/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Last night, the prime minister of Qatar as well as both US President Joe Biden and US President-elect Donald Trump announced that a deal had been reached. Hamas leadership quickly declared victory over Israel, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has continued to insist that the final deal has not been inked and some outstanding details remain. At recording time on Thursday noon, the deal was still not finalized. Horovitz describes what we understand are the main specifics of the agreement.
According to a recent Israel Democracy Institute survey, more than two-thirds of the public support a deal for the release of all or some of the hostages. On the o...
- Title
- Day 467 - Hostage deal could be signed Wednesday or Thursday
- Date posted
- 8 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Reporter Amy Spiro (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/amy-spiro/) filling in for diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman and environmental correspondent Sue Surkes (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/sue-surkes/) join host Jessica Steinberg (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jessica-steinberg/) for today's episode.
Spiro says there is optimism that the proposed hostage deal will be signed by Wednesday or Thursday, and reviews the proposed details of the deal that it is very similar to what was proposed last May, with a first stage of 33 hostages to be released in exchange for around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and negotiations on a second phase of hostages 16 days into the ceasefire.
Spiro says that Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar calls this a gradual deal, no...
- Title
- Day 466 - Security concerns as Israelis hold their breath for deal
- Date posted
- 8 days ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Emanuel Fabian (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/emanuel-fabian/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
This morning, a “final round” of Gaza truce talks was due to start in Qatar. According to AFP, today’s meetings “are aimed at finalizing the remaining details of the deal,” with the heads of Israel’s intelligence agencies, the Middle East envoys for the incoming and outgoing US administrations, and Qatar’s prime minister present. Mediators are to meet separately with Hamas officials, the source says. Fabian explains what he knows so far about security arrangements that may be put in place in Gaza in the event of a ceasefire.
Five Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed and 10 were wounded in an explosion in northern Gaza on ...
- Title
- Day 465 - Israel anxiously awaits possible hostage deal news
- Date posted
- 10 days ago
- Description
- 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 (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/tal-schneider/) and reporter Diana Bletter (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/diana-bletter/) join host Jessica Steinberg (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jessica-steinberg/) for today's episode.
Tensions are high in Israel over the possibility of a proposed hostage deal. Schneider discusses the Sunday phone conversation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden regarding the negotiations. She also reviews which Israeli officials are currently in Doha, along with Steve Witkoff, President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy.
Schneider says Netanyahu met with coalition leaders Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, as the...
- Title
- Day 464 - New judicial overhaul plan raises eyebrows and hackles
- Date posted
- 10 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Legal reporter Jeremy Sharon (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jeremy-sharon/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Late last week, almost two years exactly to the unveiling of the initial judicial overhaul legislative package, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar unveiled a far-reaching package of changes to Israel’s judicial system which would increase political power over judicial appointments and curb the High Court’s ability to strike down legislation. The new package would stop short of some measures that sparked massive anti-government protests in 2023, but are potentially just a beginning. We unravel the new initiative and try to understand its implications.
The High Court of Justice on Friday gave the state until the en...
- Title
- Day 463 - Israel's wish list for US President-elect Trump
- Date posted
- 11 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for a bonus episode of our weekly What Matters Now series.
This week, a committee appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to examine defense spending and IDF military force design for the future announced that the election of Donald Trump as US president offers an unprecedented opportunity to remove the threat Israel faces from Iran.
Trump’s return to the White House, said the Nagel Committee on Monday, “creates, for the first time, the potential for a fundamental change, and the removal or meaningful reduction of the Iranian threat.”
Likewise this week, incoming US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff announced that he would travel to Doha, saying a hostage deal being mediated by Qa...
- Title
- Day 462 - Israel’s security concept collapsed on Oct 7. What now?
- Date posted
- 13 days ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Lazar Berman (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/lazar-berman/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for a special Friday Focus episode, part two of last week's discussion, "Why the IDF abandoned the offensive and ended up with Oct. 7 (https://www.timesofisrael.com/daily-briefing-jan-3-day-455-why-the-idf-abandoned-the-offensive-and-ended-up-with-oct-7/) ."
When Israel's founding prime minister David Ben Gurion envisioned the country's defense forces, he proposed a small standing army and a large reservist force. In the first part of our conversation, we discussed how this model served the state, alongside a doctrine of deterrence, intelligence, and battlefield victory.
However, as the state evolved, the standing army was increasingly shrunk alongside an outsized...
- Title
- What Matters Now to Haviv Rettig Gur: Israel's wish list for US President-elect Trump (Full video)
- Date posted
- 13 days ago
- Description
- Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with The Times of Israel's senior analyst, Haviv Rettig Gur.
This week, a committee appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to examine defense spending and IDF military force design for the future announced that the election of Donald Trump as US president offers an unprecedented opportunity to remove the threat Israel faces from Iran.the
Trump’s return to the White House, said the Nagel Committee on Monday, “creates, for the first time, the potential for a fundamental change, and the removal or meaningful reduction of the Iranian threat.”
Likewise this week, the incoming US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff announced that he would travel to Doha, saying a hostage deal being mediated by Qatar is on the verge of completion, as US President-ele...
- Title
- What Matters Now to Haviv Rettig Gur: Israel's wishlist for US president-elect Trump
- Date posted
- 13 days ago
- Description
- Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with The Times of Israel's senior analyst, Haviv Rettig Gur.
This week, a committee appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to examine defense spending and IDF military force design for the future announced that the election of Donald Trump as US president offers an unprecedented opportunity to remove the threat Israel faces from Iran.the
Trump’s return to the White House, said the Nagel Committee on Monday, “creates, for the first time, the potential for a fundamental change, and the removal or meaningful reduction of the Iranian threat.”
Likewise this week, the incoming US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff announced that he would travel to Doha, saying a hostage deal being mediated by Qatar is on the verge of completion, as US President-ele...
- Title
- Day 461 - As hostage body found in Gaza, Blinken says deal is close
- Date posted
- 14 days ago
- Description
- 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 (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jacob-magid/) joins host Jessica Steinberg (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jessica-steinberg/) for today's episode.
As US Secretary of State Antony Blinken nears the end of his term in the Biden administration, Blinken says that mediators are very close to securing a ceasefire and hostage release agreement, something that hasn't been stated in a while. However, Magid says it may only be finalized at the start of the new Trump administration.
He discusses other aspects of the hostage deal under discussion, including the refrain from hostage families that a deal for only 34 hostages, some of them no longer living, will leave two-thirds of the remaining hostages behind, a death sentence for them, adds Magid....
- Title
- Day 460 - IDF needs haredi soldiers, but can it accommodate them?
- Date posted
- 14 days ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Emanuel Fabian (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/emanuel-fabian/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara filed the state’s response to High Court petitions on Haredi military enlistment, stating that there is no limit on the numbers of ultra-Orthodox men recruited into the Israel Defense Forces from mid-2026. This comes as coalition members have often insisted that the IDF is not capable of absorbing the estimated 70,000 Haredi young men currently eligible for service. We dive into the divisive issue and why the army needs more soldiers.
The IDF said that this past week, 338 members of the ultra-Orthodox community enlisted in the military for mandatory service — 211 combat soldiers and 127 combat support...
- Title
- Day 459 - Will new law bring airlines back to Israel's skies?
- Date posted
- 15 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Arab Affairs correspondent Gianluca Pacchiani (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/gianluca-pacchiani/) and Tech Editor Sharon Wrobel (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/sharon-wrobel/) join host Jessica Steinberg (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jessica-steinberg/) on today's show.
Pacchiani discusses the latest with the Hamas list of proposed hostages that would include some 34 living captives out of the remaining 100 hostages left in Gaza, as Hamas asks for greater numbers of prisoners in a hostage exchange.
Pacchiani also reviews the status of Hezbollah in Lebanon as the 60-day ceasefire with Israel draws to an end, the opportunity for Hezbollah to rest and prepare for a possible renewal of fighting and what it all means for the balance of power in Lebanon's comp...
- Title
- Day 458 - As Lebanon truce frays, is Gaza deal in the offing?
- Date posted
- 16 days ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Lazar Berman (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/lazar-berman/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/amanda-borschel-dan/) on today’s show.
Israeli and regional media is rife with headlines about an imminent potential Gaza hostage release deal. However, after a Saudi outlet published a list it received from Hamas of 34 hostages the terror organization says would be freed in the first phase of a potential hostage-ceasefire deal, the Prime Minister’s Office puts out a statement stressing that the document is merely an Israeli list that was given to the mediating countries in July 2024. Berman updates us on what is going on.
US special envoy Amos Hochstein has just landed in Beirut. This comes a day after Defense Mi...
- Title
- Day 457 - IDF raids Iranian site in Syria in complex commando op
- Date posted
- 17 days ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Emanuel Fabian (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/emanuel-fabian/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/amanda-borschel-dan/) on today's show.
The Hamas terror group released a propaganda video on Saturday showing signs of life from 19-year-old hostage Liri Albag, the latest in a series of clips it has released of Israeli captives taken in the October 7, 2023, attack. What were the contents of the three-and-a-half-minute-long video, which Hamas released as a form of psychological torture?
The Israeli military said Saturday that its troops had in recent days demolished an entire residential complex in northern Gaza, close to Beit Hanoun, which had been used as a hideout and command center by senior Hamas commanders. The comp...
- Title
- Day 456 - David Horovitz on freedom of the press under attack
- Date posted
- 18 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Founding editor David Horovitz (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/david-horovitz/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/amanda-borschel-dan/) on today's show, a bonus episode from our weekly What Matters Now podcast.
Five years ago this week, The Times of Israel launched its Daily Briefing podcast (https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/the-daily-briefing/) to keep listeners updated on the latest news out of Israel and the region, from Sunday through Thursday.
Starting from October 7, 2023, the podcast has moved to seven days a week in an effort to broadcast fair and accurate news and analysis from Israel every day during wartime. We discuss the locations of some of the podcast's more unexpected listenership.
Horovitz then ...
- Title
- Day 455 - Why the IDF abandoned the offensive and ended up with Oct. 7
- Date posted
- 19 days ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Lazar Berman (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/lazar-berman/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/amanda-borschel-dan/) on today's show.
In today's special longer Friday episode, Berman charts the evolving essential purpose of the IDF, starting with its origins. He speaks of the push-pull of a fledgling organization as both a defensive and offensive body.
We learn how the fight for Israel's independence crystallized the need for an easily maneuverable fighting machine that would not hinder the Jewish state's need for a stable economy.
Berman explains how first prime minister David Ben-Gurion's solutions worked well -- until with the shifting tides of warfare, they really didn't.
...
- Title
- What Matters Now to David Horovitz: Freedom of the press under attack
- Date posted
- 20 days ago
- Description
- Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with The Times of Israel's founding editor David Horovitz.
Five years ago this week, The Times of Israel launched its Daily Briefing podcast (https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/the-daily-briefing/) to keep listeners updated on the latest news out of Israel and the region, from Sunday through Thursday. Starting from October 7, 2023, the podcast has moved to seven days a week in an effort to broadcast fair and accurate news from Israel during wartime. We discuss the locations of some of the podcast's more unusual listenership.
Horovitz delves into ongoing efforts on the part of the government to limit the freedom of the press, from the banning of Al Jazeera to halting paid ads in Haaretz. He explains the "gentleman's agreement" that is the nature of the relationship of Israeli pre...
- Title
- Day 454 - Gallant leaves the Knesset, but will he return?
- Date posted
- 21 days ago
- Description
- 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 (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jacob-magid/) joins host Jessica Steinberg (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jessica-steinberg/) on today's show.
Magid discusses why former defense minister Yoav Gallant resigned from the Knesset, which appears to be primarily due to his opposition to legislation that would allow ultra-Orthodox men exemptions from army service. The move is somewhat confusing, given that Gallant's vote could have made a difference regarding certain legislation, but he seems to be leaving as a political move, to cement his future possibilities.
Magid looks at why the hostage talks are reported to have stalled, with obstacles that included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's not offering a viable alternative as to who would f...
- Title
- Day 453 - Drama in Knesset as PM leaves hospital bed for vote
- Date posted
- 22 days ago
- Description
- 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 Sam Sokol (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/sam-sokol/) joins host Jessica Steinberg (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jessica-steinberg/) on today's show.
Sokol discusses the political machinations in the Knesset as voting over the 2025 budget leads National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and several ultra-Orthodox parties to threaten to oppose the bill, given some of the planned cuts.
While Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have banded together in the past over their political aspirations, the two have been at odds for some time, which could possibly lead to a break in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, explains Sokol.
Sokol reviews the further political dramas that played out on Tuesday in the ...
- Title
- Day 452 - How Israel remembers US president Jimmy Carter
- Date posted
- 22 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Editor David Horovitz (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/david-horovitz/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/amanda-borschel-dan/) on today's show.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is recovering after a successful prostate removal surgery at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem on Sunday. The premier was moved to an underground, fortified recovery ward where he is expected to spend several days under observation amid fears he could be targeted by rocket or missile fire during the ongoing war. What do we know about Netanyahu's health moving forward?
Netanyahu held a high-level meeting during which he told those present that Israel will resume fighting after a hostage deal, if one comes about, according to a Channel 12 report. Horovitz d...
- Title
- Day 451 - Democracy in Syria? De facto leader says not so fast
- Date posted
- 24 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Arab Affairs reporter Gianluca Pacchiani (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/gianluca-pacchiani/) and reporter Sue Surkes (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/sue-surkes/) join host Amanda Borschel-Dan (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/amanda-borschel-dan/) on today's show.
Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa spoke on Al Arabiya and gave a glimpse of his plans for the country, including divulging that holding elections in Syria could take up to four years and that drafting a new constitution could take up to three years. Pacchiani weighs in.
For the past week and more, swaths of Israelis from many parts of the country have found themselves seeking shelter in the middle of the night as the Houthis continue their campaign of projectiles, vowing to continue their a...
- Title
- Day 450 - ToI reports from semi-permanent IDF bases inside Gaza
- Date posted
- 24 days ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Emanuel Fabian (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/emanuel-fabian/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/amanda-borschel-dan/) on today's show.
Some 240 suspected terror operatives were detained during the operation against Hamas at northern Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital, including the medical center’s director and 15 terrorists who participated in the October 7, 2023, onslaught on southern Israel. Fabian sheds light on the operation, which involved the Navy’s Shayetet 13 commando unit.
Israeli air defenses on Saturday intercepted two rockets fired from Gaza’s Beit Hanoun toward the Jerusalem area, an increasingly rare occurrence after nearly 15 months of war. The IDF said both rockets were successfully intercepted, wi...
- Title
- Day 449 - Yochay Sponder on telling post-Oct. 7 truth, with laughs
- Date posted
- 25 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Stand-up comedian Yochay Sponder (https://sponder-standup.com/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/amanda-borschel-dan/) on today's show, a bonus episode from our weekly What Matters Now podcast.
After the 2012 Gaza war, comedian Sponder began using his talent to make people laugh as a tool for pro-Israel advocacy in his heavily Hebrew-flavored English. This work has only ramped up since the October 7, 2023, murderous Hamas onslaught, where thousands of terrorists infiltrated southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage to Gaza.
Initially after the attack, Sponder, whose soldier cousin fell in battle on October 7, thought it may be inappropriate to take to the stage and make people laugh. Today, he considers it his reserve duty...
- Title
- What Matters Now to comedian Yochay Sponder: Post-Oct. 7 truth -- with laughs
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with stand-up comedian Yochay Sponder (https://sponder-standup.com/) .
After the 2012 Gaza War, the comedian began using his talent to make people laugh as a tool for pro-Israel advocacy in his heavily Hebrew-flavored English. This work has only ramped up since the October 7, 2023, murderous Hamas onslaught, where thousands of terrorists infiltrated southern Israel, killing 1,200 and taking another 251 hostage to Gaza.
Initially after the attack, Sponder, whose soldier cousin fell in battle on October 7, thought it may be inappropriate to take to the stage and make people laugh. Today, he considers it his reserve duty and Sponder uses his brand of truth-telling to remind the world who started this ongoing war and that Israelis still hope for peace.
With a pers...
- Title
- Day 448 - Irish stew over Israeli embassy closure. What's next?
- Date posted
- 27 days ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Lazar Berman (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/lazar-berman/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/amanda-borschel-dan/) on today's episode.
In the past several months, Ireland has formally recognized the State of Palestine, it said that it would execute an arrest warrant on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and it also backed South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. So in response to all of this, last week it was announced that for first time, Israel would close an embassy of an EU member state.
Ireland is often considered the most pro-Palestinian country in the EU and public opinion deeply identifies with the Palestinians, which they view as an occupied people. We ta...
- Title
- Day 447 - Israel, Hamas offer mutual recriminations, but no deal
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- 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.
Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jessica-steinberg/) on today's episode.
Horovitz discusses ongoing spin regarding ongoing hostage negotiations, more than a year after the release of 105 hostages that took place during a brief pause in fighting last November 2023. It's not clear if it's a truce or ceasefire, says Horovitz, but Israel says it needs to know how many people or who Hamas would be releasing, and mutual recriminations continue without a final deal.
He also discusses how it has become the "semi-norm" for half of Israel to dash for shelter in the middle of the night to avoid incoming rockets from the Houthis in Yemen, and how complicated it is to retaliate to this Iranian-linked organizatio...
- Title
- Day 446 - Qatar's mediators ask Israel to be more flexible
- Date posted
- 28 days ago
- Description
- 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 (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jacob-magid/) joins host Jessica Steinberg (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jessica-steinberg/) on today's episode.
Magid discusses the ongoing hostage negotiations, commenting that if a deal happens, it will probably take place closer to the January 20 inauguration date for President-elect Donald Trump. Magid says that Qatari negotiators are asking the Israeli government to be more flexible in their current mandate, as Hamas seeks assurances that Israel won't return to fighting after the discussed first phase.
Magid reviews some threatening comments made during a podcast interview by Mike Waltz, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for national security advisor. Waltz spoke about punishments and reprisals f...
- Title
- Day 445 - IDF reconsiders ballistic missiles for long-range attacks
- Date posted
- 30 days ago
- Description
- 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 (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/tal-schneider/) and environmental reporter Sue Surkes (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/sue-surkes/) join host Jessica Steinberg (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jessica-steinberg/) on today's episode.
Schneider discusses the ongoing discussion in Israel's defense establishment of changing Israel’s long-range attack systems from the country's use of air power, as seen in retaliatory Israeli strikes against Iran in October and against Yemen this month.
She also reviews the lifting of the gag order on the name of reservist Ari Rosenfeld, the IDF officer charged with transferring classified information in the Prime Minister's Office. Rosenfeld is under arrest, and his lawyer and wife wanted h...
- Title
- Day 444 - Why MKs pushed restart on judicial overhaul bills
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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 Sam Sokol (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/sam-sokol/) and reporter Diana Bletter (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/diana-bletter/) join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.
Recently, attempts are being made to restart the controversial judicial overhaul legislation and last week, Sokol spoke with one of its architects, MK Simcha Rothman. We hear about Rothman’s perspective on why it is needed and in fact protects Israel's democracy.
The Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee will soon begin holding hearings on a proposed bill applying a Basic Law requiring a public referendum for land-for-peace deals to the West Bank and Israeli territorial waters, the Knesset’s right-wing Land of Israel Caucus announced on Wednesday. What...
- Title
- Day 443 - Houthi missiles punch holes in IDF air defenses
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Emanuel Fabian (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/emanuel-fabian/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.
A ballistic missile launched by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen impacted a playground in south Tel Aviv early Saturday, lightly injuring some 16 in the area. This came days after the Israel Defense Forces carried out intense airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen early Thursday in which 14 fighter jets took part in the operation — along with dozens of support aircraft — dropping some 60 munitions. Fabian unwinds what has gotten through the IDF's defense net and speaks about the successful air operation.
Israeli troops wounded one person after opening fire Friday on demonstrators in southern Syria, with the military saying the soldier...
- Title
- Day 442 - Are Gazan death figures being cynically inflated?
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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, we bring you a bonus episode of Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Andrew Fox.
Fox, a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, served in the British Army from 2005 to 2021, completing three tours in Afghanistan, including one attached to the US Army Special Forces. At the transatlantic think tank, he specializes in Defense, the Middle East, and disinformation. He holds degrees in Law and Politics, Modern War Studies and Psychology.
This week, Fox and a team of researchers (https://fifty.global/) published a report that made international headlines titled, "Questionable Counting (https://henryjacksonsociety.org/publications/questionab...
- Title
- Day 441 - Is it time for Israel to stage a proxy war?
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Lazar Berman (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/lazar-berman/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's extended Friday episode.
As Israel continues to contend with a war on seven fronts -- primarily through Iran-backed militia proxies -- Berman floats a hypothesis that Israel should turn to its natural allies in the region as well.
We hear about how history has shown that Israeli proxies don't always have the same goals as the Jewish state. We learn about the case of the South Lebanon Army and how things entirely fell apart. And Berman explains how the Kurds -- and potentially the Druze -- could be a long-term strategic answer for Israel's isolated position in the region.
For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ong...
- Title
- Day 441 - Is it time for Israel to stage a proxy war? (Full video)
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's extended Friday episode.
As Israel continues to contend with a war on seven fronts -- primarily through Iran-backed militia proxies -- Berman floats a hypothesis that Israel should turn to its natural allies in the region as well.
We hear about how history has shown that Israeli proxies don't always have the same goals as the Jewish state. We learn about the case of the South Lebanon Army and how things entirely fell apart. And Berman explains how the Kurds -- and potentially the Druze -- could be a long-term strategic answer for Israel's isolated position in the region.
For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple P...
- Title
- What Matters Now to Andrew Fox: Cynical use of inflated death figures from Gaza
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Andrew Fox.
Fox, a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, served in the British Army from 2005 to 2021, completing three tours in Afghanistan, including one attached to the US Army Special Forces. At the transatlantic think tank, he specializes in Defense, the Middle East, and disinformation. He holds degrees in Law and Politics, Modern War Studies and Psychology.
This week, Fox and a team of researchers (https://fifty.global/) published a report that made international headlines titled, "Questionable Counting (https://henryjacksonsociety.org/publications/questionable-counting/) : Analysing the Death Toll from the Hamas-Run Ministry of Health in Gaza."
According to the report, the Palestinian death toll for the Gaza war appears to include thousand...
- Title
- Day 440 - Biden and Trump teams join forces in hostage talks
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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 (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jacob-magid/) joins host Jessica Steinberg (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jessica-steinberg/) on today's episode.
Magid speaks about the ongoing hostage negotiations and intense speculation in the media. He notes that any agreed-upon ceasefire would be longer and less fragile than the week-long pause in fighting that took place in November 2023. He also discusses the unusual cooperation taking place between the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration in the ceasefire negotiations.
Magid discusses a reckoning by Biden officials following the Israeli attack on Hezbollah and the panic initially felt among US intelligence officials and the Israeli government beforehand, as the conc...
- Title
- Day 439 - How Palestinians envision ruling Gaza the day after
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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.
Arab affairs reporter Luca Pacchiani (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/gianluca-pacchiani/) and archaeology reporter Gavriel Fiske (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/gavriel-fiske/) join host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's episode.
CIA Director Bill Burns is set to meet the Qatari Prime Minister in Doha today, in an effort to bridge the remaining gaps between Israel and Hamas on a Gaza deal. Pacchiani updates us on what he is reading about the hostage-release talks in neighboring nations' Arabic media this morning.
Recently, the Palestinian Authority seems to be flexing its peace-keeping muscles in the West Bank, perhaps signally that it is ready to take on the challenge of Gaza. We hear about a possible Hamas-Fatah alliance -- and whether Israel would sign on to it.
- Title
- Day 438 - Is Hamas softening its position on Gaza?
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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.
Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
Horovitz speaks about recent comments made by Defense Minister Israel Katz about the IDF remaining in Gaza, as a way of reiterating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's positioning in the current ceasefire negotiations.
He also looks at what's being said about a possible hostage deal and a sense of progress on some kind of three-phase deal, no longer conditioned by Hamas on Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, given a clear softening of Hamas' position.
Horovitz discusses the latest in Netanyahu's government coalition, which was able to pass budget legislation even when Otzma Yehudit's leader, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir voted against parts of the budget leg...
- Title
- Day 437 - How is the ceasefire holding? ToI reports from Lebanon
- Date posted
- 1 month ago
- Description
- 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 reporter Lazar Berman (https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/lazar-berman/) joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Yesterday, Berman visited Lebanon, crossing through Fatima Gate with 91st Division commander Brig. Gen. Shai Klepper to examine what Lebanon’s border villages look like after two months of fighting, and how the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel is holding up. We hear his most immediate impression and learn what Druze IDF officers told him.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he discussed with US President-elect Donald Trump ongoing efforts to bring back the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza, as Israeli officials indicated that a deal could be reached in less than two weeks despite sticking points in negotiations. On Mo...
