The Times of Israel
Day 641 - In DC, official says Israel may temporarily govern Strip
- Title
- Day 641 - In DC, official says Israel may temporarily govern Strip
- Runtime
- 23:34
- Date posted
- 11 months 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 correspondent Lazar Berman and US bureau chief Jacob Magid join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington, DC, but mediators in the ongoing negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal have been notified by the Trump administration that the president expects them to secure an agreement this week. US Special Envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff will travel to Doha today to advance the deal. We hear from Magid and Berman what the atmosphere is like in DC: Are officials still hopeful a deal could occur according to Trump's timeline?
Ahead of a White House dinner, both US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu took American media's questions, including a query about the viability of the two-state solution. We learn what Net...
- Title
- Day 640 - PM lands in DC, issues to resolve before Trump meeting
- Runtime
- 22:10
- Date posted
- 11 months 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 and reporter Sue Surkes join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lands in the US, Schneider discusses the day ahead for the Israeli leader, ahead of his Monday evening meeting with US President Donald Trump in the White House, and the expectations for the announcement of a permanent ceasefire at that point.
Schneider looks at the issues that still need to be resolved, including the remaining hostages, aid distribution in Gaza, and who will manage Gaza if Hamas is no longer in power.
She also discusses the continuing clashes between Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, as Smotrich and his supporters accuse Zamir of being too weak in his handling of Gaza and he has lashed back, ...
- Title
- Day 639 - Hamas isn't budging. So why the optimism for a deal?
- Runtime
- 16:29
- Date posted
- 11 months 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 for today's episode.
We record today's episode hours before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to take off on Wing of Zion for a whirlwind few days of meetings in Washington, DC. Berman, who is joining the prime minister, updates us on what we know about the ceasefire/ hostage release negotiations right now: An Israeli negotiating team was set to travel to Qatar Sunday for indirect talks with the Hamas terror group, as mediators bear down on the sides amid intensifying efforts to clinch an agreement. There are still a lot of wrinkles to iron out. Berman weighs in.
The premier’s spokesman Omer Dostri announced he is stepping down just ahead of the DC trip. “The decision to terminate his employment was made in coordination between ...
- Title
- Lazar Berman and John Spencer: Is the IDF winning in Gaza?
- Runtime
- 44:49
- Date posted
- 11 months ago
- Description
- Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.
This week, we're joined by John Spencer, the chief of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point, a research center dedicated to the study of war and warfare. Spencer is a retired Major in the US Army and is a leading expert in military operations in dense and subterranean urban areas.
Spencer reached out to us after we released a Friday Focus podcast, "10 truths about the Gaza war, 20 months in," based on Berman's in-depth analysis, "For now, victory is still within reach: 10 truths about the Gaza war, 20 months in."
Today's conversation is a meeting of the minds in which Berman and Spencer delve into the nuts and bolts of the war in Gaza so far.
Friday Focus can be found on all podcast ...
- Title
- Day 636 - Will PM mark the war's end at the White House?
- Runtime
- 22:09
- Date posted
- 11 months 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 Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
As Israel is said to be hoping to finalize a comprehensive Gaza deal before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the White House next week, Magid discusses the details and complexities of the ongoing hostage negotiations, including a framework of a two-month truce in which 10 living hostages would be returned and the bodies of 18 deceased hostages.
Magid reports on the political implications of Netanyahu's upcoming visit to the White House next week, and the possibility of the two leaders celebrating the successful military campaign against Iran. He also notes that while a ceasefire is being negotiated for Gaza, Netanyahu's rhetoric still suggests an ongoing military campaign.
The humanitarian aid distributio...
- Title
- Day 635 - How did an anti-Israel candidate win NYC's primary?
- Runtime
- 22:45
- Date posted
- 11 months 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.
New York reporter Luke Tress joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
US President Donald Trump threatened to arrest New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani should he win the mayoral elections in November. Tress discusses the president's repeated comments about the anti-Zionist candidate and Mamdani's plan to oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in New York City.
Tress offers a look at Mamdani's political ascent and his surprise upset of former New York governor Andrew Cuomo in last week's New York City Democratic party mayoral primary.
He discusses the likelihood of Mamdani winning the November general election, and how Mamdani's anti-Israel activism, a facet of his political life since his college days, will challenge New York City's Jewish resident...
- Title
- Haviv Rettig Gur on when Israeli extremists go to war - against Israel
- Runtime
- 48:44
- Date posted
- 11 months ago
- Description
- 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 senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur.
Dozens of Jewish extremists set fire to a security installation and rioted outside a West Bank base overnight Sunday-Monday, days after an officer in the Israel Defense Forces was assaulted by settlers, who threw rocks and attempted to harm other IDF soldiers.
If there’s one institution that a majority of Israelis still get behind, it’s the IDF. So this attack, to many, was a wake-up call to the bubbling issue of settler extremists.
In this week's What Matters Now, Rettig Gur describes the origins of the settler movement and how there were several visions that at times competed with each other -- and overlapped.
He explains how the extremists who are repeatedly attacking neighboring Palestinian villages -- and now IDF soldiers -- are disenfran...
- Title
- Day 634 - Could Syria be next in joining the Abraham Accords?
- Runtime
- 28:37
- Date posted
- 11 months 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 correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will embark on his third trip to to Washington early next week to meet with US President Donald Trump. This comes alongside increased pressure to end the war in Gaza and perhaps the potential of a domino-type deal between Israel and regional players.
Berman speaks about reports that Israel and Syria are holding “advanced talks” on a bilateral agreement halting hostilities between the countries. Could this lead to Syria joining the Abraham Accords? And what position does this put Turkey in, even as its neighbor, Iran, just suffered a defeat at the hands of the US and Israel.
Israel’s military chief has advised cabinet ministers against ordering the Israel Defense...
- Title
- Day 633 - Rioting settlers torch IDF facility meant to protect them
- Runtime
- 25:34
- Date posted
- 11 months 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 and settlements reporter Jeremy Sharon join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Israeli settlers torched a multi-million-shekel security installation used to “thwart terror attacks and maintain security” in the Ramallah area of the West Bank overnight, according to the IDF. This came after a riot by settlers outside a military base in the West Bank, where, according to the IDF, settlers attacked security forces, sprayed mace and vandalized army vehicles. Sharon and Schneider delve deeply into the issue of settler violence and how it is being fostered -- and even potentially funded -- by members of the coalition.
Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer is now in Washington, DC, where he is expected to face pressure from the Trump administration during his...
- Title
- Day 632 - After meeting goals in Israel-Iran war, IDF turns back to Gaza
- Runtime
- 23:31
- Date posted
- 11 months 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 correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Friday night, throngs of rioting Israeli settlers attacked IDF soldiers at the Palestinian village of Kafr Malik near Ramallah, after the forces arrived there to prevent them from rampaging in the village. Six Israelis were arrested following the violence. According to Hebrew media reports, the Israeli assailants beat, choked and hurled rocks at the troops. Later, on Saturday, a police outpost was vandalized by settlers in what authorities said was an apparent act of revenge for the arrest of the six suspects accused in the nighttime attack. Fabian explains the rollout of the events.
This morning, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told CBS News that Iran likely will be able to begin to produce enriched urani...
- Title
- Lazar Berman on the 12-Day War's aftershocks for Russia and China
- Runtime
- 34:36
- Date posted
- 11 months ago
- Description
- Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.
We're still sifting through the facts and figuring out the results of the 12-day Israel-Iran war. But after every earthquake, there are aftershocks. Today, we’ll look at how this war has far-reaching effects on countries such as Russia, China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
We begin the program by looking at China, which is hosting a gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a China- and Russia-led regional security grouping. In attendance is Iran’s defense minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh. The conference is an attempt to build alternative international blocs to those backed by the United States, according to reporting on CNN. So, how does China fit in with the 12-day war?
Our next stop is Russia. The world learned...
- Title
- Day 629 - Bromance blossoms as Trump sticks up for his friend Bibi
- Runtime
- 21:27
- Date posted
- 11 months 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.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday demanded the end of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing criminal trial. Netanyahu is on trial in three corruption cases, facing charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Among other comments, Trump wrote, “It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu. THIS TRAVESTY OF ‘JUSTICE’ CAN NOT BE ALLOWED!” Magid weighs in.
Yesterday, it was announced that US and Iranian officials will hold nuclear talks next week, even as Tehran insisted it will not give up its nuclear program and the US has claimed the program was "obliterated." Magid breaks down some of the conflicting information...
- Title
- Day 628 - For Iranian regime, does survival equal victory?
- Runtime
- 31:58
- Date posted
- 11 months 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 today's episode.
Over the 12 days of war, Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on Israel claimed the lives of 28 people — all but one of them civilians — and wounded over 3,000 people.More than 9,000 people in Israel have been displaced from their homes, dozens of which were damaged or destroyed by the Iranian attacks.We begin the program by discussing the mood in the country, even as Israelis woke to the news of seven soldiers killed in Gaza.
A preliminary US intelligence assessment has determined that US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have set back Tehran’s program by only a matter of months. Rettig Gur sifts through the pieces and tries to discern, did Israel meet its goals? Was there a victor here? And if so, who?
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- Title
- Aftermath: Flight through one Iranian missile strike
- Runtime
- 1:20
- Date posted
- 11 months ago
- Description
- Iran launched between some 550 ballistic missiles and around 1,000 drones at Israel during the 12-day war launched on June 13, 2025, claiming the lives of 28 and wounding 3,000 more.
Most of the missiles were intercepted by Israeli and American air defenses at an interception rate of around 90 percent, but Israeli authorities have said more than 9,000 people have been displaced from their homes, dozens of which were damaged or destroyed by the Iranian attacks.
Our drone takes you through a strike site in Tel Aviv, where half a dozen buildings were affected by the blast.
A Times of Israel Original Video
Created by Eli Katzoff
- Title
- Director Daniel Syrkin on how 'Tehran' season 4 reflects Israel-Iran war
- Runtime
- 27:02
- Date posted
- 11 months ago
- Description
- Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Jessica Steinberg speaking with Daniel Syrkin, director of the acclaimed TV series "Tehran."
Recorded on Monday amid the ongoing conflict with Iran, Syrkin discusses the impact of the current geopolitical events on the storytelling of "Tehran" and the challenges of producing a series that reflects the most recent realities of life in Iran.
The "Tehran" director shares insights from his background in military intelligence and how it shaped his understanding of the Iranian regime and the making of the series, created with Israel's Kan 11 and Apple TV.
He also discusses the cultural authenticity of the series, the emotional responses from Iranian actors to their Israeli costars and crew, even during the last 10 days of the conflict.
Syrkin notes that sometimes the only way for him to cope as an Israeli is by working...
- Title
- Day 627 - Trump announces Israel-Iran ceasefire. Will it stick?
- Runtime
- 17:56
- Date posted
- 11 months 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 for today's episode.
Hours after Iran attempted to strike a US military base in Qatar in retaliation for the US strike on its nuclear sites, US President Donald Trump announced overnight Monday-Tuesday that Israel and Iran agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire” which would bring about an end to the conflict. However, hours after both sides confirmed that the truce was taking effect, Iran shot another barrage at Israel -- the seventh of the morning. At recording time, Defense Minister Israel Katz has ordered the IDF to retaliate with force. A pre-ceasefire attack earlier Tuesday hit a Beersheba apartment building, killing four people.
We delve into the Iranian missile attack on a major US airbase in Qatar on Monday evening. Qatari a...
- Title
- Day 626 – After sending the B-2s, Trump talks Iran regime change
- Runtime
- 27:16
- Date posted
- 11 months 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 notes that it isn't definitively clear how much damage has been wreaked on Iranian nuclear facilities by US and Israeli strikes in Iran. He refers to the term "obliteration," used by US President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, to describe the result of the American strikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities early on Sunday, but stresses that the US military has only publicized an initial damage assessment to date. He discusses Trump's late Sunday remark about potential regime change in Iran -- issued after all his key officials stressed this was not America's goal.
Horovitz also comments on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pre-recorded press conference on Sunday evening...
- Title
- Living from siren to siren under Tel Aviv
- Runtime
- 3:00
- Date posted
- 11 months ago
- Description
- As Iranian ballistic missile barrages have become the new nightly normal across Israel since June 13, 2025, Israelis along the coast are seeking shelter in the depths of their cities.
From subway stations to underground parking garages, residents are transforming public spaces into improvised shelters -- and unlikely communities.
The Times of Israel visited the parking garage under Tel Aviv's landmark Dizengoff Center, where the protest movement, the Brothers and Sisters in Arms, has repurposed its trademark gray tents to house nearby residents.
In Ramat Gan's subterranean Bialik light rail station, we learn how a 1,000 people take shelter nightly, with families turning their tiny corners into little apartments.
A Times of Israel Original Video
Created by Eli Katzoff
- Title
- Day 625 - US joins the Israel-Iran war, 'obliterating' 3 nuclear sites
- Runtime
- 24:34
- Date posted
- 11 months 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 and US bureau chief Jacob Magid join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
US President Donald Trump announced early Sunday that the US had carried out a “successful attack” on the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites in Iran. We learn what was hit and Trump's warnings to Iran about either returning to the negotiating table, or else.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday morning, thanking Trump for bringing “peace through strength.”
We discuss the options that are now on the table for Iran as well as the wider implications for the region as the Israel-Iran war continues.
Berman speaks about the potential realignment of regional axes with a severely weakened Ira...
- Title
- Day 624 - IDF head cautions no quick win in ongoing Israel-Iran war
- Runtime
- 23:51
- Date posted
- 11 months 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.
Overnight, an Israeli airstrike in Iran killed Saeed Izadi, the head of the Palestine Corps in the IRGC Quds Force, who funded and armed Hamas ahead of the terror group’s October 7 onslaught as part of a multi-front plan to destroy Israel. Fabian describes who he was and how central he was in drafting Iran's ultimate strategy to eliminate Israel.
Also hit last night was Iran’s Isfahan nuclear site for the second time since the start of the conflict, as Iran fired an overnight volley of five ballistic missiles at central Israel. The strike on the first day of the conflict destroyed several critical sections, including uranium conversion infrastructure and labs. Last night's strikes were intended to cause further dam...
- Title
- Lazar Berman on how Israel stopped the bomb in 1981 and 2007
- Runtime
- 34:11
- Date posted
- 11 months ago
- Description
- Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.
Israel has experience in attempting to stop a nuclear weapons program. Twice before striking Iran on June 13, 2025, Israel attempted to thwart two neighboring nations' nascent nuclear programs.
This week on the Friday Focus, we’re talking about the covert surprise 1981 Operation Opera in Iraq and the 2007 Israeli airstrike on Syria, called Operation Outside the Box or Operation Orchard.
Berman fills us in on the back story of both, and weighs in on how successful they were — of course, with an eye to the current Israel-Iran war and Israel’s goal to stop Iran from reaching a nuclear bomb.
We learn how Operation Opera, also known as Operation Babylon, took place under prime minister Menachem Begin on June...
- Title
- Day 622 - Iran hits Israeli hospital, will US join the fray?
- Runtime
- 25:41
- Date posted
- 12 months 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 Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
Following the early morning Iranian rocket attack that directly hit Beersheba's Soroka Medical Center and buildings in Ramat Gan and Holon, Magid discusses the likelihood of the US getting involved in the Israel-Iran conflict. He notes that the stance of US President Donald Trump regarding US involvement has shifted dramatically in recent days, moving from very unlikely to highly possible.
Magid also discusses how Republican support for Israel is divided on the issue of the US intervention in the Iranian conflict, with some Republican politicians making it clear that they support the steps that Israel has taken, while others are against the US getting involved in a conflict far from US soil.
As 85 trucks of human...
- Title
- Day 621 - How warfare is being rewritten over the skies of Tehran
- Runtime
- 30:12
- Date posted
- 12 months 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 today's episode.
The Israel-Iran war continues with fewer missile barrages from Iran even as Israel continues to use innovative ways of using its technology to destroy nuclear and military infrastructure in Iran. We begin the episode by speaking about how Israel has tweaked its aerial missile capabilities, specifically its standoff munitions, to turn them into far-flying, guided ballistic missiles.
Rettig Gur speaks about the many, deep reasons why Russia did not want this Israel-Iran war to take place, including the notion that Israel has shown the lack of capabilities of Russian anti-aircraft tech as the IAF sails through Tehran airspace. We hear what else had Russian President Vladimir Putin concerned.
German Chancellor F...
- Title
- Day 620 - Israel rules Tehran skies. Is greater turbulence on the horizon?
- Runtime
- 23:08
- Date posted
- 12 months 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 for today's episode.
Two Israeli soldiers were killed fighting in separate incidents in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis on Monday. Cpt. Tal Movshovitz, 28, from Re’ut, was killed by an explosive device planted in a building.
Hours later, Staff Sgt. Naveh Leshem, 20, from Nokdim, was killed, and 10 other soldiers were wounded. Berman addresses the rumors of progress toward a negotiated deal to get the hostages out and a ceasefire in the Strip. What is happening in the war and what has changed?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday did not rule out plans to target Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In fact, he suggested that it would be a surefire way to “end the conflict” with the Islamic Republic. Berman updates us ...
- Title
- A daylight Iranian missile hit in central Israel
- Runtime
- 1:08
- Date posted
- 12 months ago
- Description
- As ballistic missiles from Iran rained down on central Israel on June 17, 2025, The Times of Israel was on the ground, capturing the immediate aftermath.
A mother of a two-year-old girl said she pretends the sirens and missile strikes over the past several days are "a game."
A man walking his dog spoke about his dog's all-too-natural physiological reaction.
In this brief on-the-scene video, locals reflect on what it felt like at the moment and what it means to be Israeli today.
A Times of Israel Original Video
Created by Eli Katzoff
- Title
- On the Tel Aviv beach under waves of Iranian missiles
- Runtime
- 3:00
- Date posted
- 12 months ago
- Description
- On June 13, Israel’s Air Force began strikes on an ‘imminently’ nuclear Iran. Hours later, Iran started launching hundreds of ballistic missiles and explosives-laden drones, targeting Israeli cities.
The day after Iran’s first waves of retaliatory strikes, Tel Aviv stood still —streets empty, shops shuttered. But down by the shoreline, a few Israelis had chosen the sea over shelter.
In this short montage documentary, The Times of Israel captures quiet defiance, reflection, and resilience through spontaneous beachside interviews with those who came out to see the sunshine on a very unusual day.
- Title
- Will Israeli strikes push Iran to end its nuclear program?
- Runtime
- 23:25
- Date posted
- 12 months 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.
Over the past night, eight Israelis were killed and hundreds injured in Iranian barrages, with evenings and overnights now punctuated by missile strikes. Israelis have been staying close to protected spaces, and, until last night, almost every serious casualty had been outside a protected room or shelter.
Horovitz talks about Israel gaining air supremacy in Iran and the declared goals of the military campaign, which include averting the ballistic missile threat and damaging the Iranian nuclear program, but do not include bringing down the Iranian regime or targeting the country's political leadership... or completely destroying the nuclear program. Rather, the overt intention is to create an environment in w...
- Title
- Day 618 - How involved is the US in the Israel-Iran war - so far?
- Runtime
- 22:07
- Date posted
- 12 months 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 for today's episode.
Over the past night, 10 Israelis were killed and 200 injured in Iranian barrages, in addition to three killed the previous night and dozens injured, including seven IDF soldiers. Berman fills us in on the overnight strikes.
We turn to a discussion of Iran's military capabilities and what's known about its missile arsenal. And Borschel-Dan poses the to-date hypothetical question of Iran's naval fleet reaching Israel.
So far, American air defense systems and a Navy destroyer have helped Israel shoot down incoming ballistic missiles that Tehran has launched in response to Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and top military leaders. We hear how the US has used both ground-based Patriot missile defens...
- Title
- Haviv Rettig Gur on the existential Israel-Iran War
- Runtime
- 20:19
- Date posted
- 12 months ago
- Description
- 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 senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur.
Since 3 am on Friday morning, Israel has been at war with Iran. We begin the program with a pause to look at how each of us sees this Israeli moment.
Rettig Gur weighs in on how this war with Iran was inevitable ever since Hamas's murderous onslaught on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and began the ongoing war in Gaza.
The IDF chief of staff Eyal Zamir told Israel's political leaders in the past day that the campaign in Iran is essential to ensure "the existence of the Jewish people," according to Israel's Channel 12. "The operation in Iran is an operation to defend the existence of the Jewish people. History will not forgive us if we do not act now."
We discuss the tipping point of launching the operation and the international media's cynicis...
- Title
- Day 616 - Israel strikes Iran to thwart 'imminent' nuclear bomb
- Runtime
- 14:51
- Date posted
- 12 months 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 diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Overnight, Israel launched a major offensive against the Islamic Republic of Iran, striking nuclear sites, military facilities, missile bases and senior leadership. Fabian describes how new intelligence indicated that the military assessed Iran currently has enough enriched uranium to build 15 nuclear bombs — as well as its ballistic missile factories and its military capabilities.
We hear details about the "Rising Lion" mission, as well as Iran’s retaliation of 100 UAVs, as of recording time mid-morning Friday.
We also learn about the behind-the-scenes cooperation between the United States and Israel and how the world is responding to this preemptive strike so far, e...
- Title
- Lazar Berman: Has Israel finally launched a counterinsurgency in Gaza?
- Runtime
- 30:58
- Date posted
- 12 months ago
- Description
- Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.
It came out late last week that Israel has been arming a criminal gang in the Gaza Strip as part of an effort to strengthen opposition to Hamas in the enclave.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the use of such forces spares IDF soldiers' lives. Defense sources have confirmed that Israel has been arming the gang with Kalashnikov rifles, including some that were seized from Hamas during the ongoing war.
In this week's Friday Focus discussion, Berman delves into the man heading this Gaza mafia, Yasser Abu Shabab, a former drug smuggler turned humanitarian aid looter during the war. In footage published online by Abu Shabab, members of the group can be seen wearing military-style uniforms with the Palestinian flag and th...
- Title
- Day 615 - Will France declare Palestinian state to please Saudis?
- Runtime
- 22:07
- Date posted
- 12 months 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 Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
Magid offers the latest on the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, with recent reports of staffers killed and perhaps taken captive by Hamas terrorists, as well as the possibility of some 25 Palestinians killed at one of the aid sites. Magid reviews the latest Hamas claims and GHF responses, discussing the confusion in this ongoing initiative.
As the French and Saudis host a UN conference next week advancing a two-state solution, Magid says there is speculation whether France will use it as an opportunity to declare a Palestinian state, making it the most prominent country in the West to do so, while remaining an ally of Israel. Magid says there is still much indecision about the unilateral step, which could interfere with the ongoing hosta...
- Title
- Day 614 - 1st IDF naval strike on Yemen leaves Houthis undeterred
- Runtime
- 27:42
- Date posted
- 12 months 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.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Defense Minister Israel Katz agreed on Israel’s response to Hamas’s counter-offer to a US proposal for a hostage-ceasefire deal at their meeting yesterday, Army Radio reports. The response has been forwarded to mediators, the report says. Officials are now awaiting the terror group’s response, but in the meantime, fighting continues on the ground in Gaza. Fabian fills us in.
In a first, Israeli Navy missile boats on Tuesday morning launched strikes against infrastructure at the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeida in western Yemen. Fabian explains the pros and cons of using the naval forces instead of th...
- Title
- Rabbi Noa Sattath on global LGBTQ+ support for Hamas
- Runtime
- 37:57
- Date posted
- 12 months ago
- Description
- 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 Rabbi Noa Sattath, the head of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.
For Pride Month, we discuss the history of the openly gay community in Israel and the connection between the LGBTQ+ struggle for equal rights and the broader struggle for democracy in Israel.
Sattath, an ordained Reform rabbi who until recently served as Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), was also previously the Executive Director of the Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance.
We hear Sattath's thoughts on the intersectionalism expressed by many members of the global gay community in their support for Hamas and condemnation of Israel during the war.
For Sattath, the current visibility of the LGBTQ+ community once seemed like a farfetched dream. In seeing what has been ac...
- Title
- Day 613 - Under Gaza hospital, IDF reveals Hamas HQ
- Runtime
- 20:58
- Date posted
- 12 months 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 correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Ariela Karmel for today's episode.
Berman discusses new developments in the ongoing Iran nuclear talks and daylight between US and Israeli leadership following a 40-minute phone call between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening, shortly after Iran announced that it would respond soon to Washington's latest proposal for a nuclear deal.
Berman also describes his recent tour in Gaza with the IDF, during which he entered Hamas tunnels underneath an EU-funded hospital where Hamas command sat, including commander Muhammad Sinwar who was killed there in an Israeli airstrike in May.
Hostages are believed to have also been held in the vast network of tunnels underneath the hospital, says Berman, noting tha...
- Title
- Day 612 - Can Shas bring down the coalition?
- Runtime
- 30:09
- Date posted
- 12 months 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 and archaeology reporter Rossella Tercatin join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
As Shas party leader Aryeh Deri threatens to leave the coalition, Sokol discusses the pressure being placed on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by the ultra-Orthodox parties to wrangle Likud lawmaker Yuli Edelstein and the law he is writing regarding Haredi army enlistment.
There is intense anger in the ultra-Orthodox world over the issue, says Sokol, who also notes an act of arson in a Shas synagogue in Sunday, as the Shas party announced its intention to leave the coalition over its anger with Netanyahu regarding the Haredi draft bill.
Sokol notes that a political insider told him there's a relatively low chance of these pressures leading to new elections. Even if...
- Title
- Day 611 - Booby traps, not combat: IDF's most lethal Gaza challenge
- Runtime
- 22:20
- Date posted
- 12 months 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.
Four more soldiers were declared dead on Friday morning after a booby trapped building exploded in the southern Gaza Strip. The slain soldiers were Sgt. First Class Tom Rotstein, Staff Sgt. Uri Yhonatan Cohen, Sgt. Maj. (res.) Chen Gross and Staff Sgt. Yoav Raver. Fabian weighs in on the challenges facing troops on the ground as Operation Gideon's Chariots continues.
The leader of a small Gaza terror group responsible for the October 7, 2023, abductions and eventual murders of several hostages -- including Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir -- was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City on Saturday, the military said. Another senior member was killed in a separate strike in the city. Fabian explains ...
- Title
- Lazar Berman: 10 truths about the Gaza war, 20 months in
- Runtime
- 51:38
- Date posted
- 12 months ago
- Description
- Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.
Just back from reserve duty, Berman has written an in-depth look at the war in Gaza and the questions it raises in Israeli society.
For today's episode, we take a look at Berman's op-ed, "For now, victory is still within reach: 10 truths about the Gaza war, 20 months in," and discuss each point one by one.
In a free-flowing conversation, we hear Berman assess the war's successes and failures and learn about the burning existential issues that Israelis have yet to address.
Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves and the video was edited by Thomas Girsch.
- Title
- Day 608 - US and Israel against the world at the UN
- Runtime
- 29:39
- Date posted
- 12 months 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.
US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation banning travel from certain countries, citing national security concerns — and pointedly, the DIY flamethrower attack on Sunday in Boulder, Colorado. Magid explains which nations are -- and are not -- affected, and discusses the new ban on foreign students at Harvard University.
For the first time since Trump took office, the United Nations Security Council discussed and voted on a substantive resolution related to the war in Gaza. The resolution, which was vetoed by the United States, called for a ceasefire, release of the hostages and surge of humanitarian aid into the Strip. Magid weighs in on the significance of the vote.
Mediators are reportedly optimis...
- Title
- Day 607 - Iran balks, Spain reneges, Gaza aid closes for a day
- Runtime
- 20:50
- Date posted
- 1 year 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 correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
After hostage family members met with members of the Trump administration in the White House on Tuesday, Berman discusses the latest developments in the hostage negotiations, with Hamas continuing to leverage the remaining hostages for political gain while negotiators say Hamas must accept US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff's latest proposal.
Berman also looks at Iran's rejection of a nuclear deal proposal, after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that the US proposal went against the country’s national interest of continuing to enrich uranium. Berman notes that Iran is continuing to negotiate and wants a deal of some kind, particularly one that will protect them against future Israeli attacks.
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- Title
- David Horovitz on shedding light on war when the facts are dim
- Runtime
- 37:55
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- 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 ToI editor David Horovitz.
How do you cover a war when no objective, proven journalists are allowed to report independently in the war zone?
And when one side of the conflict -- a terrorist regime -- floods international media with its narrative while the other side -- an attacked sovereign nation -- provides no narrative, guess which side's story makes front pages?
This week on What Matters Now, Horovitz lays out the challenges of penetrating the fog of this war within the constraints of an Israeli information vacuum.
"The hardest challenge for journalists, and it's certainly never been harder for us in the last 19-20 months, is to get the facts first... Getting to the facts has never been harder," said Horovitz.
And so this week, we ask ToI editor David Horovitz,...
- Title
- Day 606 - Anti-Israel extremist hits 12 in Colorado with DIY flamethrower
- Runtime
- 20:02
- Date posted
- 1 year 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.
New York reporter Luke Tress joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Twelve people were wounded Sunday in Boulder, Colorado — including at least one person in critical condition — when activists rallying for the release of the Israeli hostages in Gaza were attacked by a man shouting “end Zionists,” who fired a makeshift flamethrower and threw firebombs at them. Tress updates us with what we know so far about the suspect, Mohammed Soliman, and his motives.
Tress compares Sunday's Boulder attack to the fatal shooting of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, less than two weeks ago. He reminds listeners of Jewish community leaders' warnings of potential copycat attacks on the horizon.
To close, we learn about a new facility from ...
- Title
- Day 605 - Ancient Bibles receive new homes for Torah holiday
- Runtime
- 31:52
- Date posted
- 1 year 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.
Religions reporter Rossella Tercatin joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
Nearly two years after the ancient, nearly complete Codex Sassoon bible was first introduced at the Anu Museum, days before the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, the book of Torah is inaugurated at the museum, in the presence of released hostage Agam Berger, in a moving, bittersweet ceremony, tells Tercatin. Another ancient bible, the Shem Tov bible, this one only 700 years old, was also inaugurated permanently at the National Library of Israel, both in time for the Shavuot holiday.
Tercatin also looks at the ongoing issues of conversion in Israel, following a meeting last week of the Knesset Aliyah Committee devoted to the topic of conversions on Tuesday, ahead of the Shavuot festival. Only about half of those who start...
- Title
- Day 604 - IDF moves one step closer to Jewish (state) space lasers
- Runtime
- 23:11
- Date posted
- 1 year 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 IDF confirmed last night that an Israeli airstrike earlier this month killed top Hamas leader Muhammad Sinwar while he was in a tunnel underneath a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip. What information is the IDF basing the confirmation on?
The IDF claims that Hamas’s hold is slipping, along with its stronghold on food supplies. However, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation effort is being accused of wounding and even killing Gazans who are attempting to secure aid. Fabian weighs in on this increasingly murky endeavor.
A 19-year-old Defense Ministry civilian contractor, David Libi, was killed by an explosive device Thursday during Israel Defense Forces operations in the northern Gaza Strip. We learn why ...
- Title
- AJC head Ted Deutch: Calls for 'intifada' don't bring social justice
- Runtime
- 32:13
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman and host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. In this episode, American Jewish Committee head Ted Deutch fills in for Berman, who is on reserve duty.
On May 21, Sarah Milgrim and her boyfriend, Yaron Lischinsky, were shot to death outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, where the victims had just attended an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee that focused in part on humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Both Milgrim and Lischinsky were employees of the Israeli embassy in Washington. Their alleged killer — a far-left activist from Chicago — shouted “Free Palestine” as he was arrested.
This week, the head of the AJC talks more about what type of coexistence event was held prior to the murders.
We discuss the rise in antisemitic violence...
- Title
- Day 601 - Why Witkoff has a 'good feeling' about hostage negotiations
- Runtime
- 28:41
- Date posted
- 1 year 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 military reporter Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
US special envoy to the Mideast Steve Witkoff says he has “some very good feelings” about the chances for reaching a temporary ceasefire that leads to a long-term resolution to the conflict in Gaza. Magid explains what could be on the table and why Witkoff is expressing optimism despite long-time Israeli and Hamas intransigence.
The Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said Wednesday it had successfully opened its second aid distribution center in southern Gaza, after the launch of its first site a day earlier descended into chaos when crowds stormed the facility. International media is reporting shootings and deaths at the first aid center this week. Magid attempts to make order of the chaos.
- Title
- Day 600 - A guided tour of the IDF's war of 7 fronts
- Runtime
- 32:46
- Date posted
- 1 year 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.
On this 600th day since the Hamas onslaught on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, we do a zoomed-out update on all seven fronts of the war and where they stand today.
Fabian begins the program by updating us on new humanitarian aid operations in the Gaza Strip and chaos on Tuesday as Gazans temporarily overtook a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation disbursement center near Rafah.
We turn to the West Bank where Israeli forces raided foreign exchange stores in Ramallah and Nablus on Tuesday, accusing their parent company of “connections with terrorist organizations,” according to an army closure notice. Fabian delves into other -- as yet -- unrealized fears regarding the West Bank.
We reported thi...
- Title
- Prof. Elie Podeh: When the IDF disengaged from Gaza, 20 years ago
- Runtime
- 34:44
- Date posted
- 1 year ago
- Description
- 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 Hebrew University Prof. Elie Podeh.
Podeh, the Bamberger and Fuld professor in the History of the Muslim Peoples, recently published a research article, "Israel’s 2005 Disengagement from Gaza: A Multilateral Move Under Unilateral Façade."
In the article, we learn that while the Gaza Disengagement was a unilateral decision, it was carried out in partnership with the United States, Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.
Among other revelations in the paper, we hear about the committees formed among the partners and their work on arrangements for border control, economic transition, and security cooperation. All elements were negotiated behind the scenes, especially under the guidance of American envoys and Egyptian mediators.
Podeh weighs in on prime minister Ariel Sharon'...
- Title
- Day 599 - PM, AG and High Court edge closer to crisis
- Runtime
- 25:33
- Date posted
- 1 year 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 correspondent Jeremy Sharon and health editor Diana Bletter join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
The controversy over the appointment of a Shin Bet chief continues, says Sharon, discussing the implications of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara's instructions to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he continues to disregard the instructions about appointing a new Shin Bet chief. Sharon reviews the potential for a constitutional crisis as the situation comes to a head.
Sharon also reviews some of the statements made by the attorney general and President of the Supreme Court Isaac Amit during Monday's Bar Association conference, as they both accused the government of quietly advancing far-reaching changes to Israel’s form of government.
Bletter speaks about several Israel...
- Title
- Day 598 - How the IDF plans to seize 75% of Gaza in 2 months
- Runtime
- 26:43
- Date posted
- 1 year 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.
Currently, the IDF holds about 40% of the Gaza Strip. In a briefing yesterday, Fabian learned that the new plan is to almost double those holdings within two months. As of yet, the groundwork is still being laid ahead of a massive ground operation with over 200 airstrikes carried out in the past 48 hours. Fabian explains the procedure the IDF uses to order civilian evacuations ahead of the planned influx of IDF soldiers on the ground.
The first distribution point operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation begins operations in the Strip today. This comes as its CEO Jake Wood resigned suddenly last night, saying it was “clear that it is not possible to implement this plan while also strictly adhering to the humanitari...
