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. Arab Affairs correspondent Gianluca Pacchiani and Jewish World reporter Zev Stub join host Jessica Steinberg for today's Daily Briefing podcast. Pacchiani reviews the latest in the stunning takeover in Syria by rebel forces followed by celebrations in the streets of Damascus as the Assad family appears to have fled the country. He discusses the Russian, Kurdish and Turkish strongholds in the country, the Islamic tone of the rebel forces and what that could mean in the country's new political reality. Stub discusses the details of the early Friday morning arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue, the reactions within the Jewish community and the eventual designation of the fire as a terrorist attack by the Australian government. Steinberg briefly discusses the latest in the Hamas hostages and the release of a video of hostage Matan Zangauker on Saturday. Zangauker's mother, Einav Zangauker, has emerged as one of the most vocal anti-government voices in the ongoing hostage situation. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Rebels declare Damascus captured in stunning end to Assad family rule in Syria Syria rebels take areas near Israel border; IDF warns them not to ‘turn in our direction’ Syrian rebel commander urges Israel to support uprising, strike Iran-backed forces Who are the rebels battering Syria’s regime, and do they pose a risk to Israel? Australia rebuffs Netanyahu’s claim synagogue arson due to ‘anti-Israel’ government Police hunt 2 suspects in devastating arson attack on Melbourne’s Addas Israel synagogue Hamas video shows Gaza hostage Zangauker for first time as thousands rally for deal 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 soldiers near the Israeli border with Syria on December 8, 2024 (Photo by David Cohen/Flash90)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. In today's episode, ToI senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for a special bonus episode of our weekly What Matters Now podcast. Former Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, an Iranian career diplomat who participated in the previous round of nuclear talks, has been Iran's vice president for strategic affairs since August. In that role, he wrote an op-ed in the bimonthly Foreign Affairs journal. The century-old magazine focuses on international relations and policy and can serve as a platform to float ideas and hear reasoned responses. In Zarif's article, "How Iran Sees the Path to Peace," among the arguments raised was the idea of a "referendum" voting on the governance of the territory that largely includes the Jewish state. "Iran can continue to play a constructive role in ending the current humanitarian nightmare in Gaza and work with the international community to pursue a lasting and democratic solution to the conflict," writes Zarif. "Iran will agree to any solution acceptable to Palestinians, but our government believes that the best way out of this century-long ordeal would be a referendum in which everyone living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea — Muslims, Christians, and Jews — and Palestinians driven to diaspora in the twentieth century (along with their descendants) would be able to determine a viable future system of governance. This is in line with international law and would build on the success of South Africa, where an apartheid system was transformed into a viable democratic state." To Rettig Gur, Zarif's op-ed -- filled with posturing and warnings to the Western world -- is a sign of Iran's faltering regime and he explains why. So this week, we discuss this new era of Iranian potential weakness and how the West needs to handle it wisely, as Haviv Rettig Gur weighs in on what matters now. For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: IAEA chief: Iran poised to ‘dramatically’ increase stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium US deepens sanctions on Iranian oil as smuggling said to rake in billions for Tehran 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: Masoud Pezeshkian, center, flashes a victory sign after casting his vote in Iran's presidential election as he is accompanied by former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, left, at a polling station in Shahr-e-Qods near Tehran, Iran, July 5, 2024. (AP/Vahid Salemi)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. Diplomatic reporter Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode, recorded in our Jerusalem offices. We’re doing something different today and Berman and Borschel-Dan have an informal conversation about a mid-November report that Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide. These remarks were included in a new book celebrating the pontiff’s jubilee year and they marked the first time that Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. The revolution in ties between the Catholic Church and Jews began with a brief document -- Nostra Aetate -- issued on October 28, 1965, by more than 1700 Catholic bishops gathered in Rome for the Second Vatican Council. We speak about what this document states and what it represents. We learn about the relationship between the Catholic Church and Israel -- and the Jewish people writ large -- and how it has evolved from accusations of Jews as Christ-killers to a relatively Golden Age. Lately, however, observers wonder if remarks made by Pope Francis and others could mark a turning point.For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Pope calls for probe into whether Israel is committing ‘genocide’ in 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 the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Pope Francis waves as he arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, December 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)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 Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. US President-elect Donald Trump on Monday threatened those holding hostages in the Middle East with unprecedented American firepower if they are not released by the time he enters office on January 20.The latest warning was posted on Truth Social came two days after Hamas released a propaganda video showing American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander pleading with the president-elect to secure his release and hours after the IDF revealed that another American-Israeli hostage — Omer Neutra — was killed during Hamas’s October 7 onslaught and that his body is being held in Gaza. We discuss what efforts have not yet been brought to the table and how Neutra's death was covered in US media. Israel’s Channel 12 reported yesterday that an Israeli delegation will travel to Cairo early next week after Egypt has put together a new multi-stage hostage deal proposal. Also, earlier in the week, we heard that the Palestinian terror group Hamas and the Palestinian Authority’s Fatah party have agreed to create a committee to jointly administer postwar Gaza. Magid weighs in whether this new alliance could be enough to give Hamas the lifeline it needs to claim post-war victory. US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday announced the appointment of his Lebanese-American in-law Massad Boulos to be his senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. Boulos will likely work alongside Steve Witkoff, who Trump last month appointed as his special envoy for the Middle East to work on expanding the Abraham Accords that he brokered at the end of his first term. Are these the right men for the job? For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog. Discussed articles include: Trump warns there will be ‘all hell to pay’ if hostages aren’t released by Jan. 20 Slain Israeli-American hostage remembered as ‘hero of Israel’ at NY memorial service Fatah, Hamas agree to form committee to run postwar Gaza Trump says Lebanese-American in-law will be senior aide on Arab and Mideast affairs 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: Illustrative: Campaigning for a second term, former US President Donald Trump speaks before prominent Jewish donors at an event titled 'Fighting Antisemitism in America' at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill, Washington DC, September 19, 2024. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images via JTA)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.