The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. 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. Discussed articles include: After Yemen strikes, Netanyahu says Israel hitting Houthis on behalf of ‘entire world’ Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Shamir, during his visit to Lebanese General Antoine Lahat (right) leader of the South Lebanese Army on January 26, 1989 in Marjayoun, Lebonon. (AP Photo/Max Nash)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg 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 concerns were that an Israeli strike on Hezbollah could lead to an all-out war with Lebanon. He also reviews the Biden administration's decision not to sanction Netanyahu coalition partners, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, after months of considering such a move because of their roles in increasing settler violence and destabilizing the West Bank. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Netanyahu said set to huddle with top brass Thursday to discuss Gaza deal latest Hamas fears Trump will allow Israel to resume Gaza war after 1st phase of hostage deal US intel wrongly envisioned catastrophic outcome if IDF escalated against Hezbollah US won’t sanction Smotrich and Ben Gvir before end of Biden’s term — officials Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: President Joe Biden meets with President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Arab affairs reporter Luca Pacchiani and archaeology reporter 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. Syrian Christians currently make up less than 2% of the population and the new HTS rebels regime has repeatedly reassured Syrians and the international community that it will protect all minorities and women. Pacchiani reports on what he is hearing from Syrian Christians. Likewise,
Alawites, a sect that splintered from Shiite Islam in the ninth century, constitute around 10% of Syria’s predominantly Sunni population. While uncertainty prevails among all of Syria’s religious minorities today, the Alawite community – from which deposed President Assad originates – arguably has the most to fear. Pacchiani weighs in. In late November, speaking at an academic conference in Boston, veteran archaeologist Prof. Glenn Schwartz of Johns Hopkins University made a startling claim: Four tiny clay cylinder-shaped seals, which had been excavated 20 years ago from an intact Bronze Age tomb in Syria, were engraved with what he asserted was the earliest known examples of alphabetic writing — albeit as yet undeciphered. We talk about why this find is in the news again -- and what it appears to be. Researchers have deciphered a tiny third-century Christian silver scroll that was found rolled up inside an amulet, at a Roman burial site in Frankfurt, Germany. Could this be “the oldest Christian testimony found north of the Alps,” as the announcement claims? For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: With a show of force in Jenin, the PA tries to prove it can rule Gaza. But can it? Can Syria’s dwindling Christian community survive under jihadi rebel rule? A claim that the earliest alphabet was found in Syria sparks a media maelstrom – finally Amulet found in Germany said to be ‘oldest Christian testimony north of the Alps’ Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Palestinians carry UN-donated flour in Khan Younis, central Gaza Strip, Saturday December 14, 2024.(AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. 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 legislation as a show of defiance and disagreement over the judicial overhaul and his desire to fire Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. He also reviews what's being said by Syrian rebel leader Abu Muhammad al-Julani, and the need to be wary about al-Julani's statements, as a known fighter with a US bounty on his head, even though he speaks about his desire to build a better country. Syria is an unknowable quantity at the moment, says Horovitz. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Katz said to tell MKs hostage-truce deal ‘closer than ever,’ echoing Hamas optimism Trump says he’s ‘trying to help very strongly’ to bring hostages home Otzma Yehudit votes against state budget, as coalition splits over bid to fire AG Syrian Islamist leader says rebel groups to be disbanded, minority rights protected Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Hostage family members and supporters protest outside the Likud headquarters in Tel Aviv, December 17, 2024. (Photo by Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.