The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Available Episodes

5 of 263

Day 763 - Is Israel heading back to war with Hezbollah?
Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. On Thursday afternoon, the IDF launched a wave of strikes in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah targets. These come amid a marked uptick in IDF strikes in southern Lebanon over the past several weeks, as reports continue that the Hezbollah terror group is attempting to rearm and regroup. A recent Reuters report reported for the first time that Lebanon's army has blown up so many Hezbollah arms caches that it has run out of explosives and a recent Wall Street Journal report cites experts stating that Hezbollah is rebuilding, raising the chances of renewed conflict with Israel. It's almost a year into the ceasefire, which was struck on November 27, and we discuss the forces attempting to contain Hezbollah, including Israel, Lebanon and the US. Where is the conflict headed even as Lebanon’s year-end deadline to disarm the terror group approaches? Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Mourners carry the coffins of five Hezbollah killed in Israeli strikes in recent days, during their funeral procession in the southern town of Nabatieh, Lebanon, November 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Mohammad Zaatari)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
--------
29:47
--------
29:47
Day 762 - US plans for 'new Gaza' are win for Israel
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 discussions continue about Jared Kushner's concept of 'new Gaza,' residential neighborhoods constructed for Gazans on the Israeli side of the ceasefire line, Magid discusses the lack of support for the plans from some of the Gulf donor countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Those countries have concerns that the plan maintains the status quo of Israeli control and leaves Hamas entrenched in Gaza. There are also questions as to which countries are ultimately willing to send troops to guard borders and help deliver aid, and whether those troops will be involved in peacekeeping missions or peace-enforcing missions, says Magid, noting that the US wants the missions to demilitarize Gaza. The US is pushing Israel on the matter of offering safe passage for a couple of hundred Hamas operatives still in Gaza tunnels, either letting them go back to the Hamas side of the yellow ceasefire line, says Magid, or offering them safe passage to another country, while forcing them to give up their weapons. The issue of allowing the press into Gaza now that there is a ceasefire in place is also being pushed by the US. Magid notes that Israel's High Court of Justice gave the government 30 days to update its position. US President Donald Trump is also weighing in, says Magid, who notes that it is more likely to be settled in Israel's High Court. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US looks to build ‘new Gaza’ on half of Strip under IDF control, but faces pushback US pressures Israel to allow safe passage for 100 to 200 Hamas operatives in Rafah With ceasefire in place, US renews request for Israel to allow foreign press into Gaza Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Palestinians seen along the Gaza City seafront, following the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, October 18, 2025 (Ali Hassan/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
--------
20:45
--------
20:45
Day 761 - Avowedly anti-Zionist, NYC's new Mayor Mamdani has Jews on edge
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 episode. Democrat Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. The far-left anti-Israel activist, a state assemblymember, is, at 34, the city’s youngest mayor in over a century. We talk about concerns among some of New York’s large Jewish community and early reactions from communal organizations. Mamdani has previously stated his intention not to invest city funds in Israel bonds, in keeping with the current comptroller’s decision not to reinvest when $39 million in bonds matured in 2023. In May 2023, Mamdani, then a member of the New York State Assembly, introduced a bill called “Not on our dime!: Ending New York funding of Israeli settler violence act.” Tress weighs in on what powers Mamdani has to enact his ideological anti-Israel stance. And finally, we discuss a cartoon from the UN special rapporteur for the Palestinians, Francesca Albanese. Last week, Albanese posted a cartoon denouncing Israel, depicting what appears to be a global spiderweb, in an image that experts said echoed age-old antisemitic tropes. We hear what Tress heard from experts.Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Body of IDF soldier Itay Chen, killed fighting Hamas on Oct. 7, returned to Israel Far-left, anti-Israel candidate Zohran Mamdani wins New York City mayoral race ‘Pit in my stomach’: As Cuomo concedes, Jewish supporters ‘torn apart’ by Mamdani win As NY assemblyman, Mamdani pushed bill barring nonprofits from ‘supporting Israeli settlement activity’ UN’s Albanese posts cartoon echoing age-old anti-Jewish spiderweb trope Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Zohran Mamdani speaks during a victory speech at a mayoral election night watch party, November 4, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
--------
19:52
--------
19:52
Day 760 - Are the US and allies readying to rule Gaza?
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 joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The intrigue surrounding the leaked surveillance camera footage from the Sde Teiman detention facility is unabating as a search continues at Hatzuk Beach in Tel Aviv for the phone of the former military advocate general, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, whom police reportedly suspect of intentionally tossing it into the sea when she briefly disappeared Sunday evening. Horovitz updates us on the complicated case implicating the Military Advocate General’s Office and its many dramatic moments in the past few days. The Trump administration’s draft UN Security Council resolution to establish an international force in Gaza would reportedly give the US and other participating countries a broad two-year mandate to govern Gaza and be in charge of security there, according to an Axios report. We discuss the implications for such a step and whether it could be a way of bypassing the idea of a council of Palestinian technocrats ruling the strip. As media watchdog groups are denouncing a bill from the Communications Ministry that passed its first reading yesterday, saying that it is a step towards the end of free press and that the legislation would “give the government political control” over content and news broadcasts. Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi claims it is a way to take the news out of the hands of the monopoly of billionaires who own the media. Horovitz discusses some of the details of the bill and why many are concerned. During an era of public fissure in Israel, prime minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated 30 years ago today. Horovitz weighs in on that terrible day and why he insists there is hope for bridging Israel's gaps and moving toward societal healing. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF’s former top lawyer said to have approved leak of abuse video in group chat Timeline of a scandal: The 17 months of the Sde Teiman abuse and video leak affair Draft UN resolution would grant US and partners two-year mandate to govern Gaza Likud minister’s contentious media regulation bill passes first reading in Knesset Three decades on, a return to Rabin Square gives the slain premier’s right-hand man hope Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Pod-Waves. IMAGE: US Vice President JD Vance speaks to the media as US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner stand next to him, in Kiryat Gat, Israel, October 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
--------
24:46
--------
24:46
Day 759 - Israel marks 30 years since Rabin's death
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 Israel marks 30 years since the assassination of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Schneider reflects on the Saturday night rally held near the square where he was shot and why the annual event commemorating him wasn't held for the last five years. After the frenzied hours on Sunday evening when police searched for and then found IDF legal chief Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi alive and well -- the advocate general who resigned last week after admitting to leaking an abuse video at the Sde Teiman military detention facility -- Schneider discusses the complexities of the case, as Tomer-Yerushalmi was often blamed by liberal politicians for not prosecuting enough and conservative lawmakers for putting too much pressure on soldiers. Surkes examines two situations of growing pollution, first in the northern West Bank, where Palestinians often burn garbage, resulting in clean air complaints, and in Hadera, known as Israel's most polluted city because of the massive power station in its midst. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: ‘The shots still resonate’: 150,000 mourn at protest rally 30 years after Rabin’s murder Ex-IDF legal chief Tomer-Yerushalmi found alive after frantic beachside search As trash burns in the West Bank, NGO sees huge jump in reports of smoke, foul smells Residents of most-polluted city fight bid to extend life of coal-fired power station 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 rally marking 30 years since the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, with participants holding signs that read, 'Rabin was right,' near Rabin Square on November 1, 2025 (Photo by Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
--------
16:26
--------
16:26