The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

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Day 538 - Knesset passes judicial selection law, what now?
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 Daily Briefing. Following the early morning passage of the highly controversial law that greatly increases political power and influence over the judicial appointments process in Israel, Horovitz discusses details of the measure, and the fact that it will only come into effect in the next Knesset, meaning after Israel’s next general elections, currently scheduled for October 2026. Horovitz discusses why this measure is being taken now by the coalition government, and how the opposition parties and Israeli society are reacting to this measure that has been in the making since the right-wing government was elected into office in November 2022. There have been waves of protests over the last ten days, with rallies calling for the return of the hostages and anti-government demonstrations in Jerusalem, and Horovitz looks at what's being said in those gatherings and if they have any effect on current politics. He also speaks about the continuing protests in Gaza, reportedly against Hamas, although the terror group claims that the Gazans are protesting Israel's return to IDF strikes. Please see today's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Knesset passes law greatly boosting political control over appointment of judges ‘Democracy isn’t in danger,’ Netanyahu tells Knesset in tirade against ‘deep state’ Happening now: The smooth, malevolent unraveling of Israel’s vulnerable democracy Thousands protest outside Knesset ahead of final votes on controversial judicial bill Hundreds in Gaza join rare protests against Hamas rule, call for an end to the war 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: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ministers in the Knesset plenum during a vote on a bill to remake Israel's judicial appointments process, March 27, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Day 537 - Gazans rise up against Hamas: The end of the beginning?
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 Daily Briefing. The 2025 budget bill passed its final reading to become law yesterday afternoon, removing a major threat to the stability of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Lawmakers voted 66-52 in favor of the NIS 755 billion ($205 billion) spending bill -- the largest in Israeli history. We discuss which monies went where and why, plus look into the wide-sweeping political ramifications of the budget's passage. Hundreds of Palestinians protested against Hamas rule and against the war in at least three locations in Gaza on Tuesday, in a relatively rare occurrence in the Strip due to the terror group’s often violent suppression of political dissent. Summing up the seeds of optimism Israelis feel seeing this grassroots uprising, Rettig Gur, quotes a 1942 line from Winston Churchill, "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." Please see today's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: In major success for government, Knesset approves 2025 budget, staving off elections Hundreds in Gaza join rare protests against Hamas rule, call for an end to the war Israel intercepts 3 rockets fired from north Gaza; Islamic Jihad takes responsibility 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: A slogan in Arabic reading (R): 'Enough killing and destruction' and another reading (L): 'The children of Palestine: We want to live' are displayed during a rally calling for an end to the war where hundreds chanted anti-Hamas slogans, in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, on March 25, 2025. (AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Day 536 - Govt, high court and AG face off on Shin Bet chief
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 and archaeological and religions reporter Rossella Tercatin join host Jessica Steinberg for today's Daily Briefing. Following the cabinet decision to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, various opposition political parties and legal organizations filed petitions against the decision in Israel's High Court. Sharon discusses the government's response to the petitions and its stance that the court should not interfere in the decision to fire Bar. Sharon also reviews Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara's reaction to the government decision and her view that the firing will have implications for the functioning of law enforcement and the Shin Bet in the future. The Shin Bet is also conducting a covert probe into the possible infiltration of extreme-right elements into the Israel Police and Sharon discusses the existence of Kahanist elements in National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's party that led to the probe. Tercatin looks at a recent archaeological discovery that grapevines and olive trees may have once grown on the land under the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, with evidence being uncovered of agricultural tools, pottery, and new technologies that can research pollen remains and seeds that relate to the time of Jesus. She also discusses a poll of high school teens from religous Zionist high schools regarding sexual activity, leading to the researcher's determination that there's a need for more openly discussing sex with religious teens. Please see today's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Government tells the High Court it can’t be forced to work with Shin Bet chief it doesn’t trust Report: Shin Bet covertly probed Kahanist infiltration into police under Ben Gvir Echoing Gospel account, traces of ancient garden found under Church of Holy Sepulchre Poll showing religious teens are sexually active sparks rethink of when to have the talk 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: Protestors march toward the Knesset on March 25, 2025, holding a banner that reads, 'Guarding democracy' (Credit Yair Palti/Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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21:29
Day 535 - IDF strikes Hamas leadership, preps for larger operation
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 Daily Briefing. A 85-year-old man has been shot dead in a terror attack near the northern town of Yokne’am. Another person, later identified as a 20-year-old soldier, was seriously injured. Fabian updates us with initial accounts of the attack. A string of senior Hamas officials have been targeted by the IDF in the past week. We learn about the uptick in their assassinations and who several of these figures are. On Sunday morning, the IDF announced that it had restarted ground operations in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun a day earlier. With the former humanitarian zone no longer in use, the IDF said that it was enabling Palestinian civilians to evacuate the “combat zone for their safety.” We learn where the IDF is currently operating. Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said on Friday, that he instructed the IDF to seize additional areas of the Gaza Strip if Hamas refused to release hostages, stating, “As long as Hamas continues its refusal, it will lose more and more land that will be added to Israel.” Also this week, we learned that during a visit to Washington DC this week, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer will discuss with senior US officials a plan for Israeli military control over the Gaza Strip. We ask Fabian: With its current manpower shortages, is the IDF capable of controlling the Strip? Days after six rockets were fired from Lebanon at northern Israel, which drew dozens of Israeli airstrikes against Hezbollah in return, the terror group has denied any involvement in the Saturday rocket attack on Metula, and called Israel’s accusations “pretexts for its continued attacks on Lebanon.” So, if not Hezbollah, who could it have been? Even as there still isn’t a governmental commission to probe the failures leading to the October 7 massacre, the new Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Saturday announced that he had appointed an external panel of former senior officers to evaluate the military’s probes into Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught. What is the end game of this new commission? Please see today's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Elderly man killed as terrorist rams bus stop, opens fire on cars in north Senior Hamas official killed in targeted strike on Gaza hospital as IDF widens offensive IDF strike in south Gaza kills senior Hamas official; ground ops restart in Beit Hanoun Israel to discuss taking full military control of Gaza with senior US officials: source IDF strike kills Hezbollah operative in Lebanon, day after rocket fire at Metula New IDF chief appoints external panel to evaluate army’s Oct. 7 probes, implement findings 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: Armored vehicles of the 36th Division are seen at a staging ground in southern Israel, in a handout photo issued by the military on March 23, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Day 534 - Why Columbia U is a lightning rod for anti-Israel activism
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. NY correspondent Luke Tress joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's Daily Briefing. Columbia University has agreed to a series of changes demanded by the Trump Administration as a precondition for restoring $400 million in federal funding the government pulled this month over the school’s handling of antisemitism on campus amid pro-Palestinian protests against Israel. Tress has been covering the anti-Israel protests that have erupted since October 7, 2023, when Hamas slaughtered 1,200 in southern Israel. We speak about new measures that Columbia is taking — especially the restriction of face masks — and discuss whether they will change the intensity of the protests. Relatedly, on Friday, detained Columbia University student activist Mahmoud Khalil appeared briefly in immigration court at a remote Louisiana detention center as his lawyers fight in multiple venues to try to free him. We discuss the continued debate within the Jewish community over immigration rights and free speech, versus the safety of Jewish students on campus. Finally, we speak about a trend among US Jews who are looking for increased self-protection through a variety of measures, including taking self-defense courses such as the Israeli martial art, Krav Maga, or, as in a piece we recently published, highly trained -- and highly expensive -- protection dogs. Please see today's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Columbia agrees to Trump administration’s demands to address campus antisemitism Detained anti-Israel activist Khalil appears in Louisiana court as deportation looms Columbia University expels anti-Israel students for last year’s building takeover Another Columbia anti-Israel protester arrested, 3rd ‘self-deports’, US feds say US-Israeli company sells $125k protection dogs to Jews worried about security 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. ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE: Protesters rally in support of detained Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil outside Columbia University in New York on March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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