The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with Daniel Gordis. Gordis, an author, scholar, rabbi, activist and sometime Times of Israel blogger, is the creator of the popular Substack blog and podcast, "Israel from the Inside." He recounts how he began the blog in 2021 to pull the curtain back on the Jewish state for those living abroad. In this episode, we discuss the evolution Gordis's decision to be a pro-Israel, yet critical voice in a tricky global environment of rising antisemitism and uncertainty. Wearing his rabbi hat, he speaks about how existential loneliness is a part of the experience of this season of High Holy Days and he further describes the loneliness of being Israeli at this time in history. Gordis challenges American Jews to consider that Israelis are fighting for their homeland -- both in Gaza and during the ongoing protests in the streets. And so this week, we ask Daniel Gordis, what matters now? What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Daniel Gordis (courtesy) / A California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer detains a protestor while clearing a pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel encampment after dispersal orders were given at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus, on May 2, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (MARIO TAMA / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Wednesday this week that ongoing negotiations with Israel to reach a security pact could lead to results “in the coming days.” However, later on Wednesday, an Israeli foreign ministry official told AFP that Syria will seal several security and military agreements with Israel by the end of the year. Despite the discrepancy in timing, it is clear that both countries are interested and invested in completing a security pact in the near future. On this week's Friday Focus, Berman reviews other previous pacts with Syria -- and attempts -- throughout Israel's history. We learn how the civil war in Syria and the fall of the Assad regime have recalibrated how Israel operates inside its neighbor to the north. And we hear about the conflicting Israeli feelings in losing a strong leader who kept the border relatively quiet. Finally, Berman discusses what Israel may demand from Syria -- where it's willing to withdraw and where it decidedly will not. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Lazar Berman (courtesy) / Syria's President Ahmad Al-Sharaa in Damascus, September 12, 2025. (SANA/AFP)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 for today's episode. Magid discusses the draft of a developed proposal, formed by former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, regarding a transitional body for post-war Gaza. He notes that Israel is still engaging with this topic and that the proposal does not call for the displacement of Gazans. As security talks in the UK between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Israel continue, Magid says an announcement could be within days, possibly coinciding with al-Sharaa's upcoming appearance at the United Nations. The long-running 'pay-to-slay' program for the Palestinian Authority that critics claimed incentivized terror attacks against Israelis is over, according to Magid, with a new program instituted to pay people based on economic need. There haven't been any payments yet as the PA is out of cash and relies on revenues that Israel collects on its behalf, which Israel has been withholding over various issues. After US Senator Bernie Sanders used the term genocide to refer to the ongoing war in Gaza, Magid discusses that Sanders has been one of the most vocal critics of Israel. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Revealed: Tony Blair’s US-backed proposal for ending the Gaza war and replacing Hamas PA document shows ‘pay-to-slay’ has been scrapped, new system in place Hostage families camp outside PM’s home amid rumored start to Gaza City ground op Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: Former British Prime Minister and Middle East envoy Tony Blair (center) visits Beit Hanun in the northern Gaza Strip, in his first visit to the Hamas-run enclave since being appointed, March 1, 2009. (Mahmud Hams/AFP)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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. At least 600,000 Gazans are still in Gaza City as the IDF ground offensive enters its second day, says Fabian, and the army is steering clear of them. Estimates suggest that the operation will take months, although Fabian notes that it is unclear if the government or international community will allow it to continue for that long. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir was on the frontlines in Gaza City on Tuesday at the start of the offensive, says Fabian. He discusses the chief of staff's complicated role in leading the army and his need to present to the government the complications and risks to the troops and hostages in the Gaza offensive, as well as the possible opportunities. The IDF struck the Houthi-held port of Hodeida on Tuesday and, in response, Israel received the 85th rocket strike from the Yemeni rebel force in the evening, which was intercepted. Fabian explains that the IDF has repeatedly hit the Yemeni port, as it is where the Houthis receive imports of Iranian weapons. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF begins major Gaza City ground offensive targeting Hamas; dozens of Gazans said killed IDF chief insists it’s his duty to warn of Gaza City op’s ‘risks and opportunities’ Israel strikes Houthi-held port of Hodeida in response to drone and rocket fire As Hamas urges Gazans to stay put, its leaders are trying to flee Strip, says Israel Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir (right) speaks with 98th Division commander Brig. Gen. Guy Levi and other officers in Gaza City, September 16, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)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. Zman Yisrael editor Biranit Goren joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Two IDF divisions, made up of tens of thousands of troops, began expanded ground operations in Gaza City overnight as the army launches a “new stage” of its offensive against Hamas. The early stages of the offensive, dubbed “Gideon’s Chariots B” began several weeks ago with increased strikes on Hamas targets, including high-rise towers, and ground operations on the outskirts of Gaza City and in several neighborhoods in the west of the city. We learn what is happening on the ground in Gaza City so far and the responses from the families of the 48 Israeli hostages held in the Strip, 20 of whom are presumed alive. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while en route to Doha from Tel Aviv, announced that Qatar and the United States are on the verge of finalizing an enhanced defense cooperation agreement, after Israel’s attack targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar last week drew widespread condemnation. He also called for Qatar to continue its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war. Goren discusses what we're hearing from the Trump White House and how Israel could be connected to this finalized defense agreement. In a speech yesterday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel is facing increasing isolation on the world stage and will have to become more self-reliant in the years to come. He said, “We will increasingly need to adapt to an economy with autarkic characteristics,” he said, using the term for economic self-sufficiency. Describing the ongoing war and its effects, he said, “We are Athens and Sparta. But we’re going to be Athens and super-Sparta,” he said. “There’s no choice; in the coming years, at least, we will have to deal with these attempts to isolate us.” Goren gives context and weighs in. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Hostage families camp outside PM’s home amid rumored start to Gaza City ground op Alongside Rubio, Netanyahu claims Qatar strike succeeded because it sent a ‘message’ Netanyahu admits Israel is economically isolated, will need to become self-reliant Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: The 98th Division expands its ground operations in Gaza City, September 16, 2025. (IDF)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 correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Israel and at recording time has just finished his meeting in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Jerusalem office. On Friday, Trump and special envoy Steve Witkoff had dinner with the Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in New York, after al-Thani held a four-hour-long meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Rubio at the White House. We learn what Rubio has so far said during his meetings in Israel about Israel's strike on Hamas leaders in US-ally Qatar last week. We also speak about the stated agenda for Rubio's visit to participate in the opening of the Pilgrims' Path excavated tunnel that leads from east Jerusalem's City of David to the Temple Mount plaza. Qatar is still fuming over last week's attack on its soil. Qatar’s prime minister accused Israel of “state terrorism,” and said its attack in Doha last week targeting Hamas’s leaders was “an attack on the principle of mediation itself,” but nevertheless vowed to continue efforts to reach a ceasefire. Berman explains why the country will continue to serve as a mediator, even as it may attempt to stir trouble for Israel in other realms. Israel is building two new aid distribution sites, which, according to the military, will be handed over to the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the coming days. The IDF invited journalists to visit the sites on Wednesday before they become operational. Berman was there and reports back on what he saw, and how the war may look moving forward. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Rubio opens Israel visit with Netanyahu at Western Wall amid Gaza ops, Qatar fallout Qatari PM says Israel must be ‘punished’ for strike, vows to continue ceasefire efforts After Israeli strike, Qatar to host emergency Arab-Islamic summit to discuss response Waiting for Gaza City residents to head south, Israel readies new aid sites in Rafah Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, hosting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem on September 15, 2025. (Haim Zach/GPO)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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today’s episode. On Tuesday, Israel targeted leaders from the Hamas terror group gathering in Qatar who were reportedly there to discuss a new ceasefire proposal put forward by Trump’s administration. Yesterday, Netanyahu appeared to acknowledge that the missile strike had failed to kill the targeted leaders. Fabian brings us new information on how the strike was carried out. Following an evacuation warning, the IDF says it struck a high-rise tower in Gaza City that was being used by Hamas. Just after recording time, two more 10- to 15-story buildings were demolished, in each case after civilians were warned by the IDF to evacuate. We learn about why the IDF is targeting these buildings and how they are taken down. A drone launched by the Houthis in Yemen was intercepted by Israeli air defenses near Ramon Airport in southern Israel this morning. Last week, a drone launched by Yemen’s Houthis evaded air defenses and smashed into the Ramon Airport terminal. Fabian speaks about the Houthis’ new targeting tactic and its results so far. Israeli soldiers raided the home of Palestinian activist and Oscar-winning director Basel Adra in the southern West Bank yesterday after two Israelis were injured by stone throwing in the area, according to the military. Adra told The Associated Press that before the army raid, Israeli settlers had attacked his village of at-Tuwani, injuring two of his brothers and one cousin. Fabian discusses how these “he said-he said” attacks are all too common. To close the program, we turn to last week’s violent terror attacks in Jerusalem and Kibbutz Tzuba. Fabian explains how intensive IDF efforts in the West Bank have brought attacks of this nature to almost zero — but that there is a steep price to be paid. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF says 280,000 Gaza City residents have left; high-rise said used by Hamas hit in strike IDF downs Yemen missile aimed at Tel Aviv; Houthis claim it had cluster bomb warhead West Bank home of Basel Adra, activist and Oscar-winning director, raided by IDF IDF seals homes of Palestinian terrorists behind deadly Jerusalem shooting Two wounded, one seriously, in terror stabbing at hotel west of Jerusalem Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: IDF strikes leveling mid-rise buildings in Gaza City on September 10, 2025. (Screencapture/STRINGER/AFPTV/AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur. There are still lots of questions and not a lot of answers after a bold Israeli airstrike targeted a meeting of Hamas’s top leaders in Qatar’s capital, Doha, on Tuesday. According to some reports, the leadership had gathered to discuss a new US-sponsored hostage-ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the war in Gaza. At publication, reports still differ as to whether the attack was successful. And just before recording on Wednesday, the IDF confirmed it had carried out strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, saying it struck military camps where operatives were gathered, the headquarters of the terror group’s propaganda division, and a fuel depot, in both Sanaa and in the al-Jawf area north of the capital. Borschel-Dan asks Rettig Gur: Is Israel acting like an unpredictable "Middle Easterner" to restore deterrence on all fronts? In a quick-take conversation, we hear why Rettig Gur doesn't put much weight into diplomatic theatrics as Israel fights its existential war against the Hamas terror group that launched the war on October 7, 2023. We ask: What does it mean to fail in a daring op? Has Israel burned all of its allies' goodwill? And so this week, we ask Haviv Rettig Gur, what matters now?What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. Illustrative image: The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Astana, Kazakhstan, October 13, 2022. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. It’s September 15, 2020, and on the South Lawn of the White House, a group of leaders from the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain assembled to mark a once-unlikely normalization agreement. Berman talks us through why these countries were originally included in the accords and which were on deck before the Hamas massacre of 1,200 on October 7, 2023, that launched the Gaza War. We hear what gains were made through these accords -- and what setbacks there have been since the Gaza War erupted. We also discuss how Israel’s recent attempted assassination of the Hamas leadership this week in Qatar may affect relations with Gulf States moving forward. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, US President Donald Trump, Bahrain Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan pose for a photo on the Blue Room Balcony after signing the Abraham Accords at the White House in Washington, September 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, 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. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Was the United States aware of Israel's plans to conduct an Israeli airstrike targeting a meeting of Hamas’s top leaders in Qatar’s capital, Doha, on Tuesday? According to some reports, the leadership had gathered to discuss a new US-sponsored hostage-ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the war in Gaza. At recording time, reports still differ as to whether the attack was successful. Horovitz untangles what the US may have known of the attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back on Wednesday against mounting international criticism over Israel’s strike against Hamas leaders in Qatar the previous day. Can the furious Qataris and other Gulf States be assured that Israel will not repeat such an attack if the opportunity presents itself? President Isaac Herzog sat down on Wednesday in London with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for what local media described as a tense meeting. Horovitz delves into how Starmer, in the current anti-Israel climate, was asked to defend himself for meeting with the Israeli president. We also hear what message Herzog attempted to convey. The Munich Philharmonic, led by its future chief conductor, Israeli musician Lahav Shani, was disinvited from a performance on September 18 at the Flanders Festival Ghent, because Shani -- the current conductor of the Israel Philharmonic -- has not clearly disavowed the Israeli government. “We have chosen to refrain from collaboration with partners who have not distanced themselves unequivocally from that regime,” the organizers said in a statement. We discuss this incident, which occurred even as the Toronto International Film Festival screened a previously canceled documentary, “The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue,” which charts how retired Israeli general Noam Tibon saved his family and others during the 2023 Hamas attack. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: PM, ministers mourn ‘lion-hearted’ Charlie Kirk; some warn of copycat killings in Israel Netanyahu tells Qatar to expel Hamas chiefs or bring them to justice: ‘If you don’t, we will’ Netanyahu takes a calculated risk on a legitimate target in a deeply problematic location Amid strained UK-Israel ties, Herzog holds ‘tough’ meeting with Starmer in London Belgian festival scraps performance by Munich Philharmonic over Israeli conductor Israeli film on Oct. 7 premieres at Toronto film festival after initially being dropped Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. Illustrative image: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu answers a question, as US President Donald Trump looks on, during a dinner in the Blue Room of the White House on July 7, 2025. (Andrew Harnik / Getty Images via AFP)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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian and diplomatic reporter Nava Freiberg join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Israeli officials quoted anonymously in several Hebrew-language news sites appear to cast increasing doubt on the success of a strike in Qatar targeting the leaders of the Hamas terror group’s politburo yesterday. According to some reports, the leadership had gathered in Doha to discuss a new US-sponsored hostage-ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the war in Gaza. At recording time, reports differ as to whether the attack was successful. Fabian takes us through the strike and we learn about Qatar's military prowess. Defense Minister Israel Katz appeared to reject criticism of the decision to go after Hamas figures in US-allied Qatar, reiterating Israel's stance that the Jewish state will not allow the group to find safe haven anywhere. At the same time, the UN Security Council will meet this afternoon to discuss the attack, among a ripple effect of condemnations from across the globe. Freiberg fills us in on US President Donald Trump's reaction, as well as the statements we're hearing from Gulf states and the greater globe. Fabian updates us on what is happening on the ground in Gaza as around 150,000 Palestinians are estimated by the military to have evacuated from Gaza City, including tens of thousands in the past day. And finally, we speak about freed Israeli-Russian hostage Elizabeth Tsurkov, who is expected to be flown to Israel today and will undergo the same process as hostages freed or rescued from Hamas captivity in Gaza, after she was released to the US embassy in Baghdad yesterday. Fabian reminds us of who Tsurkov is and the events of her capture in March 2023. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Israeli officials said to doubt success of strike on Hamas leaders in Doha Israel strikes Hamas Qatar-based leadership, awaits result; Hamas claims attack failed Trump pans Israel for striking in Doha but says ‘eliminating Hamas’ is a ‘worthy goal’ Israeli-Russian graduate student Elizabeth Tsurkov freed from captivity in Iraq Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: Damage is seen after an Israeli strike targeted a compound that hosted Hamas' political leadership in Doha, Qatar, September 10, 2025. (AP/Jon Gambrell)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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Following yesterday morning's Hamas attack on an IDF camp near Gaza City that killed four soldiers, Fabian describes the attack at the entrance to the encampment, in which an explosive device was hurled into a tank that caught fire, killing all members of the team. The IDF has been carrying out strikes on high-rise towers in Gaza City, on buildings of 10 to 14 floors, which Israel says are being used by Hamas for surveillance in preparation of the army's planned offensive in Gaza City, says Fabian. The army has begun telling Gazans to evacuate Gaza City ahead of the upcoming IDF ground offensive, discusses Fabian, which he doesn't believe will begin until more Palestinians have left the area. Following Monday's deadly terror attack at the Ramot junction in Jerusalem, the IDF began operating in the two villages where the two terrorists came from, on the outskirts of Ramallah. In addition to possible plans to demolish the terrorists' families' homes, there are civil sanctions against the relatives of the attackers, and residents of their hometowns, a kind of collective punishment, discusses Fabian. Fabian also talks about IDF airstrikes on Monday against military compounds belonging to Hezbollah's Radwan force, and IDF strikes in Syria. Fabian notes that Israel has not yet commented on the reason for the Syrian strikes. The Houthis launched drones at Israel on Monday, and all three were shot down, reports Fabian, including one near the Ramon Airport and one near the southern city of Dimona. Fabian says that the Houthis have launched more than 150 drones since the beginning of the war and 98% of them have been shot down. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Four soldiers killed in Hamas attack on army camp near Gaza City, IDF says Air Force levels Gaza buildings after Katz vows ‘hurricane in skies of Gaza City’ Six killed, 6 seriously injured in Jerusalem as terrorists open fire on bus, pedestrians Katz orders crackdown on work permits for those living in same town as Jerusalem attackers At least five said killed as Israel hits Hezbollah sites in northeast Lebanon IDF intercepts 3 Houthi drones launched at south, day after attack on Ramon Airport Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: IDF surveyors take measurements at the homes of the two Palestinian terrorists who carried out a deadly shooting attack in Jerusalem on September 8, 2025 to prepare their potential demolition (IDF Spokesperson)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 for today's episode. US President Donald Trump is more optimistic about a hostage deal that will offer the immediate release of all living hostages, says Magid, discussing the President's Sunday tweet. He discusses the current plan offered by Trump and US special envoy Steve Witkoff, passed through unofficial Trump adviser Bishara Bahbah and Israeli activist Gershon Baskin. Magid also talks about another hostage deal proposed by Israel several weeks ago, which veers from the principles that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted upon for several weeks. It calls for the release of all living hostages within 48 hours of a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas in a second phase, and a third phase of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza. Magid, currently in Israel, discusses the Saturday night protest for the hostages in Jerusalem, based on the idea of social cohesion as Israelis show up to support the hostages' families and the strongly held value that no one should ever be left behind. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: After Trump issues ‘last warning’ to Hamas, terror group says it’s ready to restart talks Israel submitted hostage deal offer that strays from PM’s public conditions for ending war ‘Traitor’: Mass Jerusalem crowd pans PM as hostage’s mom calls him worst foe of Jewish nation Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: Anat and Haggai Angrest, parents of hostage Matan Angrest, protesting outside the residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Azza Street in Jerusalem on September 6, 2025 (Credit Yael Gadot/Israeli Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)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. Legal and settlements reporter Jeremy Sharon joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. A new study conducted by a team of Israeli multidisciplinary researchers delves into accusations that Israel committed crimes against humanity, such as planned starvation and genocide during the war in Gaza. The authors’ objective was to conduct a rigorous factual analysis of the methodologies and evidence behind genocide claims. Sharon fills us in on how faulty source data used by reports accusing Israel of genocide may be partly to blame. Greta Thunberg has again set sail for Gaza on another so-called peace flotilla. We learn about the legalities of Israel's eventual interception and deportation of the crew. The High Court of Justice decided unanimously last week on Monday to recommend to the government that it cancel its decision to fire Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. The court told the government to inform it by September 14 whether it accepted the court’s recommendation to abolish the new method for firing the attorney general that the government established in June, and by extension to cancel the dismissal of Baharav-Miara. The clock is ticking. What are the next potential moves? A kindergarten was opened in the illegal settlement outpost of Homesh on Monday, 20 years after it was evacuated under the 2005 disengagement plan, in a step that was praised by Education Minister Yoav Kisch and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich as boosting Israel’s control over the West Bank. Sharon delves into what this overt government support represents.Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US said to give Hamas, via mediator, principles for comprehensive hostage deal High Court unanimously urges government to revoke attorney general’s dismissal New kindergarten established at West Bank outpost evacuated under 2005 disengagement Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: Displaced Palestinians fleeing northern Gaza carry their belongings along the coastal road toward southern Gaza, September 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host Jessica Steinberg speaking with Australians Tamar Paluch and Deborah Conway, the editor and a contributor to "Ruptured, Jewish Women in Australia Reflect on Life Post-October 7," a book of essays. Paluch, who edited the book with Lee Kofman, discusses how the idea came from a painful place, after the events of October 7 brought a deluge of antisemitism upon Australia's Jewish community. She talks about putting together a book written and edited by women, as it was the silence of women's organizations regarding the sexual crimes committed by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 terrorist attack that prompted her and her co-editor to launch the project. Conway, one of the contributors and a well-known Australian musician and performing artist, speaks about the antisemitism and hatred she experienced in the wake of October 7, as many of her appearances and performances were canceled and sometimes interrupted by virulent pro-Palestinian protestors. Both women discuss the historical background of Australian Jewry and the sense that the dream of a Jewish paradise has ended, and how they plan on moving forward. And so this week, we ask Tamar Paluch and Deborah Conway what matters now. What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Palestinian supporters wave flags as they march to the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Oct. 9, 2023. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. This week, Berman takes up the host role for an in-depth interview with author Yaakov Katz about his new book, "While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East," which he co-wrote with Amir Bohbot. A former military correspondent, Katz served as editor in chief of The Jerusalem Post from 2016-2023, leaving just before the war. Currently a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute in Jerusalem, Katz is the author or co-author of four books. Katz talks about the ignored "alarm bells" indicating that Hamas was about to launch a major attack prior to October 7, 2023. He speaks about the uncertainty whether Hamas was conducting a drill and how warning signs were disregarded because they didn't fit the paradigm built by Israel around the capabilities of Hamas. "We were so infatuated, in love with the signal intelligence, the visual intelligence. We knew everything because we had the technology. But while we thought we knew, we did not know what their intentions were, we did not know what they were really planning," said Katz. Katz delves into the goals of Hamas head Yahye Sinwar and how many he achieved, despite the terrorist group's degradation. We hear an assessment of the war, almost two years in, as well as who should be running Gaza in the day after. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Yaakov Katz (courtesy)/ Israeli soldiers walk past houses destroyed by Hamas militants in Kibbutz Be'eri, Israel, October 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit, 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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. In an interview conducted in the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, Emirati special envoy Lana Nusseibeh warned Israel that annexing the West Bank would cross a “red line” that would “end the vision of regional integration.” Today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meant to hold a major ministerial consultation on whether to advance. Magid sets the scene and explains what Nusseibeh and the Emiratis are trying to get across to the Israeli public. Earlier in the week, on Monday, in Doha, Magid spoke with Majed al-Ansari, the spokesperson for Qatar’s lead negotiator, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, and heard the backstory of their frustrations over the negotiation process. We reset the scene and delve into the role of Qatar as negotiator for the Gaza war -- and other global conflicts. The United States said on Friday it will not allow Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to travel to New York next month for a United Nations gathering of world leaders, where several US allies are set to recognize Palestine as a state. A State Department official told Magid that a US visa ban on Palestinian officials planning to attend the United Nations General Assembly, would cover Abbas along with 80 other PA officials. Magid explains the mechanism of withholding the visas and how it dates to a report written during the Biden administration. Last week, Magid spoke with Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon about the impending slew of recognitions of a Palestinian state. Borschel-Dan notes that his remarks could be construed as dismissive: “These countries want to show that they are doing something, so they blow off steam by coming up with these declarative statements.” We hear Magid's takeaways from the conversation. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: UAE warns Israel: Annexing West Bank is a ‘red line’ that would ‘end regional integration’ After US cools on phased Gaza deal, senior Qatari official laments ‘moving goalposts’ US says it will ban PA’s Abbas, 80 other officials from attending UN General Assembly Israel’s UN envoy: Western leaders recognizing Palestinian state to ‘blow off steam’ Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump, center, with from left, Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, during the Abraham Accords signing ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on September 15, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)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 correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. During today’s day of disruption in the capital, protesters calling for a hostage deal have escalated their tactics, including torching bins in Jerusalem -- which police said damaged a car and caused nearby residents to be evacuated -- and gaining access to the roof of the National Library, near the Knesset, to hang banners. The activists are pushing for renewed ceasefire-hostage release negotiations this week ahead of the IDF's "Gideon's Chariots B" operation. Berman updates us on the communications between the mediation teams. The IDF said today that it is boosting operational and logistical preparedness for reservists called up for the military’s planned Gaza City offensive. Over the coming weeks, troops will participate in open-terrain and urban warfare exercises to strengthen readiness across the Gaza Strip. At the same time, yesterday, some 350 reservists signed a mass petition stating that they refused to rejoin the war. Berman speaks about the willingness of reservists to continue to fight and how the IDF is taking their needs into consideration. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio may visit Israel in two weeks, an Israeli official told Berman yesterday. We hear what may be on his agenda. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot announced Tuesday that Belgium will recognize the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly later this month. Berman describes how the slew of countries may recognize the Palestinian state at the GA and how European countries are already clamping down on Israel. French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday decried the “unacceptable” US decision not to grant visas to Palestinian officials, including Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas ahead of the United Nations General Assembly later this month, when France is also set to recognize a Palestinian state. A day before the GA kicks off, France and Saudi Arabia are holding a conference in New York promoting a two-state solution on September 22. We hear what the goals are for this conference and speculate on whether the visa decision may be reversed. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF chief: War ‘will not stop’ until Hamas is defeated; PM says ‘decisive stage’ starting Tens of thousands of reservists drafted ahead of Gaza City takeover, but turnout down US Secretary of State Rubio to visit Israel later this month; early contacts reported on possible Netanyahu-Trump meeting in US Belgium to recognize Palestinian state at UN General Assembly, impose sanctions on Israel Macron slams ‘unacceptable’ US decision to bar PA officials from attending UN confab Netanyahu said to mull annexing West Bank parts in response to Palestine recognition Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: Illustrative: A Jewish settler comes to pray in the Eviatar outpost in the West Bank, July 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)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. Political correspondent Sam Sokol and tech reporter Sharon Wrobel join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. As deputy foreign minister Sharren Haskel said she won't follow foreign minister and New Hope party head Gideon Sa'ar into a merger with the Likud party, Sokol discusses Haskel's position on the front lines of Israel's information battle and her concerns about Likud's representation of moderate voters. Opposition leader Yair Lapid warned of the end of Zionism if Netanyahu's coalition wins the next election, which Sokol calls Lapid's election rhetoric, consistent with how Lapid has been speaking for the last few years. Sokol analyzes rising tensions between Ashkenazi and Sephardic Haredi parties and Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth's new approach to Haredi conscription law. Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air plans to establish a base in Israel, notes Wrobel, offering it advantages in the Israeli air transportation market. Wrobel also discusses milk shortages in Israel due to production issues and consumer panic. IMAGE: Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid attends a Yesh Atid party conference in Tel Aviv, September 1, 2025 (Photo by Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Political correspondent Tal Schneider and reporter Sue Surkes join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. The security cabinet met for some six hours on Sunday night, but didn't raise the current hostage deal during last night's lengthy meeting, according to Schneider. There was reportedly a discussion of extending Israeli sovereignty to the West Bank, as a possible response to the expected announcements of a Palestinian state later this month. Schneider also mentions the disagreements among security officials regarding the planned military incursion in Gaza, pointing out that any final decision is by the security cabinet, and the military has to comply with their decision. As President Trump reportedly considers a plan to evacuate Palestinians as part of a postwar Gaza plan, Schneider analyzes that it appears to be planned by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the organization handling the food distribution in the Gaza Strip. The plan includes having a portion of the population leave and setting up enclaves inside Gaza for those who remain, a plan that Schneider says seems far-fetched. Two surveys issued in the run-up to the new school year highlight persistent socio-economic gaps between schoolchildren, says Surkes, pointing to a lack of funds in low-income families for afterschool activities and the struggle to afford certain kinds of healthier foods. The legendary Nahal military group that once primarily served agricultural communities is returning to its roots, according to Surkes, with pre-army volunteers serving in the kibbutz communities along the Gaza and northern borders. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Security cabinet meets, reportedly discusses West Bank annexation but not hostage deal Trump said weighing plan to pay Gazans to leave, put Strip under US-run trusteeship As children go back to school, two reports detail vast socio-economic gaps From Sept. 1, the storied Nahal military group will return to its agricultural roots Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: Palestinians carry food parcels and supplies from a GHF aid distribution point in central Gaza, August 5, 2025. (Photo by Ali Hassan/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. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. The government's weekly cabinet meeting is held in a secure location on Sunday after the IDF acknowledged it struck and killed the prime minister of Yemen’s Houthi government and several other ministers, and the Houthis have pledged to retaliate, says Berman. Following a Channel 12 report that three of Israel's top security officials are expected to argue that Israel should accept the current hostage deal that releases only some of the hostages, Berman believes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will continue to demand a comprehensive deal that releases all hostages, as he has been consistently calling for that and is backed by US President Donald Trump. Berman discusses his interview in Gaza with the IDF's 7th Armored Brigade, a combat team that lost six hostages, two of whom are still alive and four whose bodies are held by Hamas. The brigade is working to take down buildings controlled by Hamas to reach the underground tunnels. The current diplomatic situation revolving around the prime minister's recent statement recognizing the Armenian genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century was presumably coordinated by Netanyahu with the Foreign Ministry, says Berman, possibly as a way of getting back at Turkey for its aggressive measures taken against Israel throughout the war. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Houthis, IDF confirm group’s prime minister, other top officials killed in Israeli strike Body of slain hostage Idan Shtivi identified days after recovery from Gaza ‘A wild gamble on hostages’ lives’: Defense chiefs to urge cabinet to eschew Gaza op, take deal For IDF’s 7th Brigade, return to Gaza City is personal: Six of its crew are held hostage In first, Netanyahu says he recognizes Armenian genocide Israeli airlines say they’re still traversing Turkish airspace despite declared closure Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with legal expert on genocide Menachem Rosensaft. Rosensaft is an adjunct professor of law at Cornell Law School and lecturer-in-law at Columbia Law School, where he teaches the law of genocide -- since 2008 at Cornell and since 2011 at Columbia. A dedicated pro-Israel US Jewish leader, Rosensaft is the general counsel emeritus of the World Jewish Congress and has been part of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, most notably sitting with PLO leader Yasser Arafat alongside four other American Jewish leaders in 1988, after which Arafat said he recognized the State of Israel's right to exist. Rosensaft discusses the important legal and rhetorical distinction between genocide and crimes against humanity or war crimes, feeling that the definition's precision is being diluted in popular use. We learn about the history and evolution of Raphael Lemkin's definition of genocide and the ripple effect it has caused. He emphasizes that Israel cannot be held out as the sole villain in the ongoing war, and explains how Hamas exhibits genocidal intent and ideology. However, the statements from a handful of far-right Israeli politicians is making South Africa's December 2023 legal case accusing the Jewish state of genocide much harder to win. Finally, he rails against the Israeli government's weaponization of the word "antisemitism" for all dissent against the Jewish state, but doubles down on the need for an ongoing peace process leading to a Palestinian state. And so this week, we ask genocide legal expert Menachem Rosensaft, what matters now. What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Menachem Rosensaft (courtesy) / Palestinians stand on the edge of a crater after Israeli military strikes in a tent camp for displaced people near Al-Aqsa Hospital, in Deir al-Balah, August 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This Friday, we present a fourth and final installment of our August mini-series centering on the 2005 Disengagement from Gaza. We launched the series with a zoom-out conversation with public intellectual Dr. Micah Goodman, followed by a personal account of life in Gush Katif by former Nezer Hazani resident Anita Tucker and last week, we heard from Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, who shared the perspective of Palestinians within the Gaza Strip and the ripple effect felt after the Disengagement. This week, we speak with author and thinker Yossi Klein Halevi from his Jerusalem home. The Shalom Hartman Institute senior fellow begins by explaining why he and so many other Israelis supported Disengagement. He describes how the promises of security from the right and peace from the left failed, and so many Israelis were eager to try the "centrist" approach of unilateralism. Klein Halevi describes the zeitgeist of the time and compares it with the renewed global interest in a Palestinian state -- despite the Hamas massacre of 1,200 on October 7, 2023, and the continued captivity of another 20 living hostages and 30 dead. In the context of the ongoing war, when asked whether the two-state solution is dead, Klein Halevi's answer may surprise. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Yossi Klein Halevi (courtesy)/ Former prime minister Ariel Sharon speaking to students on the first day of classes in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Maaleh Adumim, Sept. 1, 2004. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)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 for today's episode. A reportedly routine policy meeting in the White House made headlines, says Magid, as it included two senior figures, Jared Kushner, son-in-law and former adviser to US President Donald Trump, and former UK prime minister Tony Blair. Magid discusses how Kushner and Blair have been working behind the scenes on a postwar Gaza management plan. He also notes that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strategic adviser, Ron Dermer, was at the meeting as well, pointing to the closeness between the US and Israel on this issue. Magid talks about an interview with a former State Department spokesman for Palestinian-Israeli affairs who was recently fired for perceived missteps regarding Trump administration policies concerning Israel. Finally, he takes a look at recent IDF activity in the West Bank, examining whether that region is destabilizing as pressure points reach urban areas such as Ramallah and Nablus. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Blair and Kushner join Trump’s Gaza meet; official calls it ‘a simple policy’ session Trump to hold White House meeting on ‘comprehensive plan’ for managing postwar Gaza Fired State Dept. press officer claims Huckabee, aide usurping Trump’s ‘America First’ policy IDF troops raid Ramallah money changer accused of funding Hamas activities Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: White House special envoy Steve Witkoff, right, and Jared Kushner wait for the arrival of President Donald Trump at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, N.J. on July 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)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. Political correspondent Tal Schneider and health editor Diana Bletter join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Schneider discusses the timing of US President Donald Trump's announcement regarding Wednesday's White House meeting about the management of the day-to-day lives of Gazans after the war. She notes the Israeli cabinet's decision Tuesday to gloss over the latest Hamas proposal and the US administration's allowing Israel to go ahead with its current military plans. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel will only accept comprehensive deals, notes Schneider, and he will not agree to any phased deals of the kind that Egypt and Qatar have succeeded in bringing to the negotiating table. Bletter describes the Druze community's efforts with a platform created to help supply medical supplies and food from Israel to the devastated Sweida province in Syria where thousands of Druze are under siege by Syrian government-led forces. Bletter also highlights groundbreaking medical research, including unlocking bacteria to create more effective antibiotics and vaccines. She also notes research on spinal cord tissue that will be transplanted into paralyzed patients, helping them walk again. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Trump to hold White House meeting on ‘comprehensive plan’ for managing postwar Gaza As cabinet meeting glosses over deal, mediators say Israel ignoring Hamas proposal Large crowds fill Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square for rally urging deal to free captives In a Galilee war room, Startup Nation’s Druze mobilize to help their Syrian brethren in Sweida Using novel method to compare subgroups, Israeli researchers unlock bacteria’s secrets In world 1st bid to cure paralysis, Israeli team gears up to implant innovative spinal cord Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. IMAGE: Demonstrators protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the current government and for the release of hostages outside Tel Aviv's Defense Ministry on August 23, 2025. (Photo by Erik Marmor/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. ToI founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today’s episode. As protesters blocked major highways Tuesday and demonstrated in front of cabinet ministers’ homes in an effort to pressure the government to try to finalize a deal to bring home the 50 hostages remaining in Gaza, Horovitz discusses the despair of the hostages’ families, the price of an agreement, and the complexities surrounding the government’s stated goals of bringing home all the hostages, destroying Hamas and demilitarizing Gaza. Horovitz points out that the US seems to be taking a back seat lately in hostage negotiations, but could and should play a vital role in arranging talks between Israel and neighboring countries that have normalized ties with it regarding a mechanism for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stated goal of having non-Hamas and non-Palestinian Authority “Arab forces” governing a postwar Gaza. Following the IDF attack Monday on Gaza’s Nasser Hospital that reportedly killed 20 people, including several journalists, Horovitz notes that the army is still investigating the incident. He highlights that numerous released hostages have detailed the hospital’s functioning as a facility under Hamas oversight. Horovitz also talks about his recent visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community of barely 400 people, a quarter of whom were killed or taken hostage by hundreds of Hamas-led terrorists on October 7, 2023. He discusses the ongoing trauma within the community adjacent to the Gaza border and its debate on how to memorialize its tragedies, as well as how to move forward. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Thousands demonstrate, block roads at start of nationwide day of protests for hostages Trump claims Gaza war to reach ‘conclusive ending’ in two to three weeks IDF strike on south Gaza hospital said to kill 20, including rescuers and journalists Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: Protestors block Route One on August 26, 2025 at Shapirim Interchange (Credit: Barak Dor/Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)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. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The Israeli Air Force on Sunday carried out strikes in Yemen’s Houthi-held capital of Sanaa, reportedly killing at least four people and injuring scores. The strike came shortly after the military said that an IAF investigation into a Friday night ballistic missile attack from Yemen found that, for the first time, the Houthis used a projectile with a cluster bomb warhead. We learn about this warhead and the IAF's strike. The Israeli army uprooted thousands of olive trees in the West Bank village of al-Mughayyir following a shooting attack in the area last week carried out by a resident, according to Palestinian media. In addition, a three-day curfew was imposed on the village, which was lifted Sunday morning. We discuss the allegation that the IDF is using collective punishment following this attempted shooting and the IDF's response. While visiting the Haifa naval base yesterday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said that “there is a [hostage] deal on the table, we need to take it,” according to Channel 13 news. The report quoted Zamir adding that “the IDF brought about the conditions for a deal, now it is in Netanyahu’s hands. These "hot mic" remarks come ahead of the planned operation to takeover Gaza City, even as Israeli planes and tanks pounded the eastern and northern outskirts of the city overnight Saturday and into Sunday, destroying buildings and homes, killing residents. We learn what is happening on the ground. Late last week, Israeli authorities warned medical facilities and international organizations in the northern Gaza Strip to gear up for mass evacuations of civilians as it drove ahead toward a planned military offensive aimed at conquering Gaza City. We hear which hospitals are still functioning in the Strip.Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IAF strikes Yemen’s capital after Houthis fired cluster bomb missile over the weekend IDF pushes into Gaza City outskirts ahead of offensive, bolsters troops in Jabalia Israel tells Gaza City hospitals to ready for mass evacuations as war plans advance IDF uproots thousands of West Bank olive trees after Palestinian shooting attack Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: Troops operating in the Gaza Strip in an undated photo released August 25, 2025 (Israel Defense Forces)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. Legal and settlements reporter Jeremy Sharon joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Yesterday, the United Arab Emirates joined almost two dozen countries, the United Nations and the European Union in condemning Israel for approving the controversial E1 settlement project outside Jerusalem. Sharon explains where the planned 3,400 units would be built and how this could potentially affect negotiations over a two-state solution. He also delves into why this decades-long project is bring fast-tracked right now. On Friday, a UN hunger monitor declared for the first time that famine had struck northern Gaza. Israel vehemently denied the reports as “lies” and “modern blood libel,” and the United States appeared to dismiss the declaration as part of a “false narrative of deliberate mass starvation” from Hamas. We learn about the United Nations Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system, which issued the report, saying that an estimated 514,000 people — or nearly a quarter of the enclave’s population — are experiencing famine. Sharon explains why Israel and the US allege that the findings are flawed and describes how data is gathered. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Smotrich rejoices as settlement plan that ‘erases 2-state delusion’ gets final greenlight Netanyahu’s office calls Gaza famine declaration a ‘modern blood libel’ Global hunger monitor declares famine in Gaza for 1st time; Israel rejects ‘biased’ report 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: View of the area of the planned E1 project between Jerusalem and the Ma’ale Adumim West Bank city, August 21, 2025. (Jamal Awad/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World, with host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan speaking with former US negotiator, adviser and ambassador Dennis Ross. Today, Ross, an author and the counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, also teaches at Georgetown University’s Center for Jewish Civilization. But for over a decade, he was the US point man on the arduous Israeli-Palestinian peace processes in both the George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations. We close the program by hearing thoughts on the current talks to end the Gaza War from a negotiator who was in the room "when it happened" -- or didn't. However, we begin the episode by asking Ross, who has decades of experience in Soviet and Middle East policy, for his analysis of this week's Alaska summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin and the subsequent meet-up between Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders. We then spin the globe and focus on Israel and the region -- present and past, including the two milestones of the 2005 Disengagement and the 2000 Camp David Summit. And so this week, we ask Ambassador Dennis Ross, what matters now. What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Dennis Ross (Courtesy)/ Demonstrators march during a protest demanding the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas and calling for the Israeli government to reverse its decision to take over Gaza City and other areas in the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel, August 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This Friday, we present a third installment of our August mini-series centering on the 2005 Disengagement from Gaza, following a zoom-out conversation with public intellectual Dr. Micah Goodman and a personal account of life in Gush Katif by former Nezer Hazani resident Anita Tucker. This week, we hear from Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, who shares the perspective of Palestinians within the Gaza Strip and the ripple effect felt there after the Disengagement. Alkhatib, who left the Strip for the United States as a high school pupil in 2005, leads Realign For Palestine, an Atlantic Council project that challenges entrenched narratives in the Israel and Palestine discourse. He is an outspoken critic of Hamas, who writes and speaks about Gaza’s political and humanitarian affairs at a variety of international media outlets. We hear about Alkhatib's childhood in Gaza City and the few experiences he had with the Jewish Gush Katif residents. We learn about how, at age 17, Alkhatib became one of the first Palestinians to receive asylum in the US following the rise of Hamas in the Strip. Alkhatib describes the seeds of Hamas and how it became emboldened through the tacit encouragement of Israel. Today, he says, the terror group is so entangled with the civilian population that uprooting it is virtually impossible without any other alternative on the horizon. He looks back at the wasted opportunity of the Disengagement. "This is a thread that we had and could have grabbed onto and done something with," he tells The Times of Israel. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Palestinian police set up Palestinian and Fatah flags on top of a synagogue in the former Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim in the southern Gaza Strip, September 12, 2005. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, 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. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. This morning, Hamas released a statement saying that Israel’s military plans to conquer Gaza City show its “blatant disregard” for efforts to broker a ceasefire and hostage release deal in the nearly two-year conflict. As Israel continues to weigh the partial, phased truce proposal accepted by the terror group on Sunday, we hear about the various forms of backlash faced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- for both the Gaza City op and for the possibility of ending the war without achieving all war goals. As a slew of international nations announce their potential readiness to recognize a Palestinian state in September, a recent poll found that a 58 percent majority of Americans believe that every country in the United Nations should recognize Palestine as a nation. The issue of a "two-state solution" couldn't be farther from most Israelis' minds. Horovitz delves into why the flirting with recognizing Palestine -- now, during this war -- is drawing such passion from Israeli leadership, including Netanyahu in his dealings with his Australian counterpart.Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: As Egypt presses Israel on truce proposal, PM pushes ahead with Gaza City operation Trump’s moment: How the US president can help Netanyahu make the wise choice on Gaza Poll shows most Americans back Palestine recognition, view Israel’s Gaza war as excessive Australia pans Netanyahu: ‘Strength not measured by how many people you can blow up’ Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. Members of the Global Movement for Palestine wave a giant Palestine flag during a rally against Israel and the ongoing food shortages in the Gaza Strip, in Mexico City on August 17, 2025. (Yuri CORTEZ / AFP)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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian and political correspondent Sam Sokol join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Two Israeli officials said yesterday that Jerusalem is studying the proposal for a phased hostage-ceasefire deal that Hamas on Sunday said it had agreed to. This comes as Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the army’s plans for the takeover of Gaza City yesterday. The plans are set to be presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tomorrow, but in the meantime, we hear about the call-up of some 60,000 Israeli reservists and other aspects of Operation Gideon’s Chariots, B. A group of settler activists, including young children, crossed the border into Syria on Monday in an attempt to establish a new settlement in land currently held by the Israel Defense Forces. The military said troops were dispatched to the scene, across from the border town of Alonei Habashan, after several civilian vehicles were seen crossing into Syria. Fabian fills us in. Last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government voted to approve a NIS 31 billion ($9 billion) increase to the 2025 state budget — NIS 1.6 billion ($473 million) of which will go toward humanitarian aid for Gaza. The money earmarked for humanitarian aid has angered some members of Netanyahu’s cabinet as well as opposition figures like Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman. Will the Knesset ratify these additions? Ultra-Orthodox leaders have called for an international day of prayer and fasting on Thursday in response to recent government efforts to conscript ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students and arrest those who ignore government orders to enlist. Sokol gives background to the "war" the Haredim have declared on the draft issue and previews what we should expect to see tomorrow. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Israel said reviewing truce deal okayed by Hamas despite PM’s seeming dismissal of offer 60,000 IDF reservists to be called up in coming days ahead of Gaza City takeover Israeli activists briefly cross Syria border in bid to establish settlement Government votes to add billions to state budget, including $473 million in Gaza aid Haredi leaders call for global day of prayer, fasting to protest arrest of draft dodgers Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: Haredi men attend a rally against the jailing of Jewish seminary students who failed to comply with an army recruitment order, outside the military prison in Beit Lid, near Netanya, August 14, 2025. (Tal Gal/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. US Bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Just as Israel is set to approve the IDF's plans for the mission to conquer Gaza City, Hamas on Monday informed mediators that it accepted the ceasefire-hostage release deal proposal that was submitted to the group a day earlier by the Egyptians and Qataris. Sources said the proposal involves a 60-day pause and the release of 10 living captives -- in other words, a partial release deal, which Israel has seemingly stepped away from in the past few weeks. Magid weighs in with the backstory to the negotiation reboot and how Israel may respond. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation announced yesterday that it is launching a new system to enable families to reserve a box of aid in advance, to reduce the chaos surrounding its distribution sites that the UN says has led to the deaths of hundreds of aid seekers. This comes after other attempts, such as women’s-only distribution times, in an effort to serve more vulnerable populations. Magid tells us more. The US State Department on Saturday said it was halting all visitor visas for individuals from Gaza while it conducts “a full and thorough” review. The move to stop these medical-humanitarian visas came after Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and an ally of President Donald Trump, said on social media on Friday that the Palestinian “refugees” had entered the US this month. We learn about Loomer and how this post affected the visa program so far. Two former senior Biden administration officials -- Jack Lew, who served as US ambassador to Israel, and David Satterfield, who served as US envoy for Mideast humanitarian issues -- have revealed that it was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who asked US President Joe Biden last year to set up a temporary pier off the coast of Gaza to help deliver more aid. We hear highlights from their joint op-ed in Foreign Affairs magazine, including their thoughts on how the UN should cooperate with GHF. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Hamas says it agrees to latest ceasefire proposal; Netanyahu sounds dismissive GHF says it is launching new reserve system to help families with food collection US State Department halts all visitor visas for Gazans, after far-right activist’s post Former Biden officials say Netanyahu asked US to set up floating Gaza aid pier last year Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: Illustrative: A man holds a placard up as he takes part in the March for Hostages in London, August 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The city of Sderot has reportedly warned residents that they will likely hear loud explosions throughout the day due to military operations in nearby Gaza, according to Hebrew-language media. The city sits some seven kilometers (four miles) from the northeastern edge of Gaza City. Fabian updates us on what's happening on the ground in the Gaza Strip right now, ahead of the planned takeover of the city. During a visit to the Gaza Strip on Sunday morning, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the military was set to approve “the plan for the next stage of the war” later in the day. The plan was approved and Fabian delves into some of the preparation needed before the operation rolls out. As part of the upcoming Gaza City operation, about a million residents will need to relocate. Israel announced that it will renew the supply of tents and shelter equipment to Gaza beginning on Sunday. We discuss the relocation efforts and get an update on how much humanitarian aid is currently being let into the Strip. The Israeli Navy launched strikes against a power plant south of Sanaa, the Houthi-controlled capital of Yemen, on Sunday morning. We hear what came next and why the military continues to strike Yemen. The IDF announced Sunday it would be giving draft dodgers — many of whom are members of the ultra-Orthodox community — a one-time week-long opportunity to enlist in the military without facing punishment for desertion. How many Israelis are eligible for this "get-out-of-jail-free card," and what is part of this package deal? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Hundreds of thousands demonstrate in Tel Aviv at end of nationwide day of hostage protests Zamir says IDF approving plans for war’s next stage ahead of Gaza City offensive Israel to resume supply of tents, shelter gear as it readies to move Gaza City residents IDF intercepts missile from Yemen, hours after Israeli Navy hit Houthi power plant IDF offers one-time amnesty to thousands of draft dodgers, citing manpower shortage Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir (left) and Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor are seen in the Gaza Strip, August 17, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)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. Political reporter Tal Schneider joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. A nationwide call for a general strike got underway on Sunday morning, as families of the hostages protested the government’s decision to expand the war in Gaza with a campaign to conquer Gaza City. The strike was organized by the October Council, which represents some of the family members of the hostages or bereaved relatives of those killed in the fighting that erupted with the Hamas-led massacre in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Schneider describes why many Israelis feel the need for a day of large public actions against the war, and we hear from reporter Ariela Karmel, who is in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square. The Times of Israel’s US bureau chief Jacob Magid learned on Friday that Hamas negotiators in Cairo this week signaled a willingness to come down from the demands they made last month that led to the collapse of hostage talks in Doha. Jerusalem responded that it is not interested in another partial ceasefire and is only willing to forgo plans to take over Gaza City if Hamas agrees to all of its demands for ending the war, the Israeli official said. Schneider fills us in on the current status of talks. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Saturday that her Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu has become a “problem,” adding she would try to put pressure on Israel over the Gaza war as her country currently holds the European Union presidency. The Israeli government is going “too far,” she added, also condemning the new settlement plan to build over 3,000 housing units in the E1 area of the West Bank, which Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced on Wednesday. We discuss the E1 plan and the efficacy of sanctions on Netanyahu. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Israeli Navy missile boats strike Houthi power plant near Yemen capital Large protests held across Israel as national strike for hostages gets underway ‘Strengthening Hamas’: Coalition lawmakers slam protesters taking part in strike for hostages Hamas negotiators signal willingness to ease demands that collapsed talks — officials Netanyahu has become a ‘problem,’ says Danish PM, wants EU to weigh sanctions World largely decries new settlement plan, warns it will scuttle 2-state solution Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Adina Karpuj. IMAGE: Demonstrators block a road during a protest demanding the immediate release of hostages held by Hamas and calling for the Israeli government to reverse its decision to take over Gaza City and other areas in the Gaza Strip, in Tel Aviv, Israel, August 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Prof. Dan Turner, the head of a pediatric gastroenterology unit at one of Israel’s most respected hospitals located in Jerusalem and Deputy Dean of the School of Medicine at the Hebrew University. Turner, alongside his work as a physician, educator and researcher, is also an ardent activist in a variety of fields concerning human rights and dignity, inside and outside of medicine. Our podcast conversation was spurred by his response to images of Muhammad al-Mutawaq, a severely emaciated 18-month-old living in Gaza, which were published on the front pages of newspapers around the world, prompting a global outcry about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Following an independent journalist's investigation, it was revealed that al-Mutawaq suffered from severe illnesses, including neurological and muscle disorders. For Turner, al-Mutawaq's underlying medical conditions don't excuse his appearance -- quite the contrary. The malnourished child is emblematic of Israel's inhumane treatment of all Palestinians, from security prisoners handcuffed in hospital beds to babies who require special medical care in Gazan tent cities, he says. In a wide-ranging interview, Turner explains how he was "awoken" to his duty to advocate for Palestinians' basic medical care and treatment with dignity. He shares the blowback he has received -- and why he now sparks conversations about the ongoing war in Gaza by "looking like a caveman." And so this week, we ask Prof. Dan Turner, what matters now. What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: The transfer of Palestinian men arrested during a military raid on Jenin, January 22, 2025. (GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, as Israel marks the beginning of the Disengagement from Gaza 20 years ago, we speak with former Brooklynite Anita Tucker, 79, who helped settle Nezer Hazani in 1977 and was forcibly removed from her home in 2005 alongside her husband, children and grandchildren. Affectionately called "the celery lady" due to her flourishing Gush Katif farm, Tucker describes how her young children were the deciding factor for staking their tent pegs in the barren land of Nezer Hazani after she viewed them "sledding" down the dunes on garbage bags. This same inert sand allowed the residents to grow their trademark, bug-free Gush Katif vegetables with the newest agricultural technology -- drip irrigation. She talks about warm relationships with her Arab neighbors -- until talk of "peace" came and the empowerment of PLO leader Yasser Arafat. She describes how once Arafat established a foothold in Gaza, he hanged the leadership of Deir al-Balah, who were Tucker’s close personal friends. She speaks about the terror attacks the community absorbed, but the ideological faith that their community was protecting the rest of the Land of Israel. Former prime minister Ariel Sharon's announcement of a unilateral pullout from Gaza came as a betrayal and we hear how the youth protested against this move until the very end. But after the pullout, the former Gush Katif residents experienced a second betrayal in that they had to fight to get compensation and rebuild their lives. Tucker and much of the original settlement refounded Nezer Hazani seven years later inside the State of Israel, but, as she says, these are their "houses," they are not their "homes." Tucker speaks to the community's yearning to resettle the Gaza Strip and how concrete plans have been presented to the Israeli government during what the potential resettlers view as a window of opportunity. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Israeli Jewish settlers celebrate the Jewish festival of Tu Bishvat, marking the new year for trees in the Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim in the Gush Katif block of settlements in the Gaza Strip, January 25, 2005. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)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. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Hamas negotiators arrived in Egypt this week for talks aimed at getting moribund ceasefire and hostage release negotiations back on track, with Israel having reportedly sent a team to Doha. Horovitz updates us on the status of negotiations. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir yesterday approved the general outline for the military’s upcoming major offensive to conquer Gaza City. This comes after a highly charged conflict with Defense Minister Israel Katz earlier this week. Horovitz takes us through this unusual public spat and what we know so far about the plan to take Gaza City. Yesterday, Spain signaled support for French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal of an international coalition under a United Nations mandate to stabilize Gaza -- including deploying the controversial UNRWA agency -- calling it “one of the tools” that could bring peace to the region. Horovitz briefly comments. Even as much of the western world is pushing for a two-state solution, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed in a rare Hebrew-language interview that he felt a connection to the vision of “Greater Israel.” We learn more about the bizarre interaction during an i24 interview, which has spurred international condemnation. Horovitz sat down with US Ambassador Mike Huckabee this week for an in-depth interview. Horovitz brings highlights, including Huckabee's stalwart support and the Baptist minister's impressions of how Gazans see the US and the IDF. The CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival said overnight that he is working to get "The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue," a documentary about the October 7 massacre, back on the big screen, apologizing after the movie was pulled from the festival schedule, which sparked a large outcry. Horovitz describes the surreal request by the festival's organizers to obtain permission for use of the Hamas October 7 footage. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF chief greenlights general outline of planned conquest of Gaza City Israel may dispatch negotiators to Doha for talks on freeing all hostages, ending war Arab nations fume after Netanyahu says he feels connection to vision of Greater Israel Huckabee: With Palestine state move, UK and France have joined forces with Israel’s enemies After outcry, Toronto film fest says it wants to reinstate pulled October 7 documentary 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: Retired Israeli general Noam Tibon in the documentary 'The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue' (Courtesy)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. New York reporter Luke Tress joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Tress discusses the recent decrease in antisemitic hate crimes in New York, although Jews are still the most targeted group. He also talks about several small, new Jewish organizations advocating for change in the way the Jewish community approaches growing antisemitism and anti-Zionism, as well as their readiness to face off against legacy Jewish organizations. Tress touches on the legal implications of antisemitic crimes, particularly in light of the recent case involving the alleged killer of two Israeli embassy staffers. He also discusses how the Washington District Attorney is examining the possibility of a death penalty sentence for Elias Rodriguez, who allegedly killed two staff members from the Israeli Embassy in May outside a DC museum. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Antisemitic hate crimes in New York decrease in recent months — NYPD Amid record antisemitism, US Jewish activists call on leaders to vacate their echo chamber US prosecutors consider death penalty for alleged killer of Israeli embassy staffers 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: Police arrest a pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel protester near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where the Met Gala takes place, May 6, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, 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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The IDF may take at least another week to gauge how many troops it will need for the government-ordered renewed offensive in Gaza City, military officials said Sunday. This comes as relations between the IDF and the political echelon seem more strained than we’ve previously seen. Fabian weighs in. This morning, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) asserted that Hamas has been inflating the toll of Palestinians it says have died of malnutrition, and most of those verified to have died had preexisting medical conditions. Fabian describes how Hamas's own death figures have allowed COGAT to draw its conclusions. An Israeli strike in Gaza City Sunday night killed a prominent Palestinian journalist for Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera, Anas al-Sharif, whom the Israel Defense Forces has long argued was a Hamas terrorist in charge of rocket launching. Fabian lays out the IDF's case against al-Sharif and discusses his targeting in the context of the larger stated military goal of picking off every asset of the terror group. On Sunday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said that IDF troops will remain deployed to northern West Bank refugee camps at least until the end of the year, as part of the “Operation Iron Wall” defensive. The operation began in January in the Jenin refugee camp, adjacent to the city of Jenin, and later expanded to include refugee camps near the city of Tulkarem in the western West Bank — the Tulkarem and Nur Shams camps. We learn what's going on there now and what the forecast is. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF assessing how many troops needed for new Gaza offensive as Security Council convenes Israel says review shows Hamas inflating Gaza hunger data in ‘orchestrated campaign’ Amid global outcry, IDF says Al Jazeera reporter it killed was receiving Hamas salary IDF strike on Gaza City kills Al Jazeera reporter accused of being a Hamas cell leader Katz: IDF to remain in north West Bank refugee camps until year’s end at least 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: IDF troops operate in the Gaza Strip in an image released by the military on August 11, 2025. (IDF)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 for today's episode. Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's back-to-back press conferences on Sunday night in English and then Hebrew, Magid compares his focus on the premier's messaging. During the press conference for the English language press, Netanyahu focuses on what he calls the "lies" in the international press and emphasizes that Israel is not seeking to occupy Gaza, but to take over only Gaza City. Magid discusses Netanyahu's five conditions for ending the war, and moving away from a strategy of partial hostage deals to military pressure. Magid also says Netanyahu is working to dispel the notion that Israel is trying to starve the Gazans, and scolds the press for accepting Hamas claims to the contrary. He talks about Netanyahu's comments about flooding the zone with aid. In Hebrew, the prime minister reviewed Israel's victories in Gaza to give legitimacy to continue fighting. He also talks about the issue of reservists, says Magid, acknowledging the strain on reserve forces. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Netanyahu says Israel not looking to occupy Gaza but to ‘free it from Hamas’ World condemnations mount over Israeli plans to take Gaza City; UN Security Council to meet Bucking IDF warnings, security cabinet approves Netanyahu plan to conquer Gaza City Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves. PM Benjamin Netanyahu holds a press conference at the PM's office in Jerursalem, August 10, 2025. (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/ 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. Legal and settlements reporter Jeremy Sharon joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Friday vowed to carry out “in the best possible way” Israel’s decision to conquer Gaza City and at the same time, Arab mediators were said to be working on a deal to release all 50 remaining hostages from Gaza in one fell swoop in exchange for an end to the war and full Israeli withdrawal from the Strip. In the lead-up to the security cabinet decision, there was a lot of talk about conquering and occupying the entire Strip. Sharon looked into the legalities of such a move and shares what he found. Hundreds of ultranationalist activists hoping to establish new Israeli settlements in Gaza set out Wednesday evening from a spot close to the Gaza border city of Sderot and began walking westward toward a lookout point less than a kilometer away from the Strip, with loudspeakers blaring: “The way to defeat Hamas is to take back our land.” Sharon gives us background on the impetus for the movement and, with increased political backing, the window of opportunity it now sees. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF chief: Army will carry out Gaza City occupation plan in ‘best possible way’ ‘Ours forever’: Hundreds march from Sderot to Gaza border to demand resettlement Smotrich says he’s ‘lost faith’ in PM’s desire to win war, demands change to Gaza plans 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 rush to collect humanitarian aid airdropped by parachutes into Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, August 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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's senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur. During the Tisha B'Av fast on Sunday, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir again made headlines for going up to the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. There were two big differences this time: One, he led a prayer service out loud, and two, he called for the Jewish resettlement of the Gaza Strip. Both aspects of Ben Gvir's trip were highly documented, including his statement on the ongoing war in Gaza. Ben Gvir said, “I am saying, davka [intentionally] from here, from the Temple Mount — the place from which it was proven that it is possible to have sovereign rule — davka from here, we are relaying a message that from today on, we are conquering the entire Gaza Strip, announcing our sovereignty on the entire Gaza Strip, and taking down every Hamas member and encouraging voluntary emigration. Only in this way will we return the hostages and win the war.” Ben Gvir's semi-messianic vision may come partially true as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears poised to announce an IDF operation aimed at conquering the entire Gaza Strip. Resettlement of the Palestinian enclave, says Rettig Gur, is a completely different matter. We hear how this latest publicity stunt is a disservice to the Temple Mount movement, which stresses that Jews may have freedom of worship at Judaism's most holy site. And so this week, we ask Haviv Rettig Gur, what matters now. What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Haviv Rettig Gur (courtesy) / Illustrative: Jews visit the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City, on Jerusalem Day, May 26, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's newest podcast series, Friday Focus. Each Friday, join host deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe. This week, as Israel stands poised to re-occupy the entire Gaza Strip, public intellectual and author Dr. Micah Goodman takes us through the Disengagement from Gaza 20 years ago. Goodman, the author of influential works such as “Catch-67,” returns to the origins of the settlement movement and dissects the motivations driving Israelis from the right and left. We learn how the First and Second Intifadas shifted stalwart settler leaders such as prime minister Ariel Sharon and set the table for the idea of unilateral disengagement from Gaza. Goodman proposes that the trauma from the Disengagement has shaped the face of the Israeli right, with extremist party heads, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir openly supporting the resettlement of Gaza from the halls of the Knesset -- or the Temple Mount. And finally, we turn to the Israeli cabinet's Thursday night decision to push for a reoccupation of Gaza and what this may do to the country. Friday Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. Young settlers cry and pray on the roof during the Disengagement in Neve Dekalim on August 17, 2005. (Nati Shohat/ 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. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode. Magid discusses how US President Donald Trump was very impacted by the the hostage videos that came out last week of an emaciated Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski, and he responded that Israel should do what it needs to regarding Gaza. Trump isn't pushing Israel regarding its possible occupation plan of Gaza, but is planning to expand the Gaza Humanitarian Fund beyond its current three locations. Magid comments on GHF's need for funding, its reliance on US funding to date and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's 180-degree turnaround on the matter and the need to give aid to Gaza. Magid also examines the complex relationship between the US and the Palestinian Authority regarding financial support and governance, and the US denial of visas to Palestinian Authority officials as a form of pressure, while the PA's legitimacy is at risk due to its financial instability. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Chiefly focused on food aid, Trump says Gaza occupation ‘pretty much up to Israel’ Almost 9 in 10 aid trucks looted before reaching Gaza destinations, UN figures show Aiming to boost aid, Israel to allow gradual flow of goods to Gaza’s private sector US to deny visas for PA officials over efforts to ‘internationalize’ the conflict Hamstrung PA weighs options as Israel continues to withhold its much-needed funds Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ben Wallick. IMAGE: US President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before boarding Air Force One at Lehigh Valley International Airport, August 3, 2025, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)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. Military reporter Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. According to leaked reports, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will likely declare a new war goal of conquering the entire Gaza Strip. Following the three-month-long Gideon's Chariots operation, Israel currently has operational control of 75 percent of the Strip. Fabian delves into the operation and gives a picture of whether it met its goals of conquering Gaza and retaining the territory; moving the Palestinian civilian population toward the south of the Strip; targeting Hamas; and preventing the terror group from taking control of humanitarian aid supplies. We discuss the stepped-up humanitarian aid efforts and Fabian offers insight into what happens once it reaches the Strip, citing a new UN report that states that almost nine out of every 10 UN trucks that entered Gaza with humanitarian aid over the last several months were looted — either by hungry Gazans or by armed groups. We get updates on how much aid is still standing at the Kerem Shalom crossing and how effective airdrops are. Finally, we learn about the IDF’s new Haredi brigade, known as the Hasmonean Brigade. After completing seven months of basic and advanced training, the first company of troops from the Hasmonean Brigade received their navy berets today. What is this new ultra-Orthodox company and how could it impact the 80,000 Haredi youth who are eligible for conscription? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: After war meet, Netanyahu said to favor complete conquest of Gaza even if hostages harmed Operation ‘Gideon’s Chariots’ comes to a close, with promised goals unfulfilled Almost 9 in 10 aid trucks looted before reaching Gaza destinations, UN figures show Aiming to boost aid, Israel to allow gradual flow of goods to Gaza’s private sector 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 personal belongings in the Mawasi area of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on July 28, 2025. (AFP)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. Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to convene a limited security meeting today to discuss military plans for Gaza. According to reports based on leaked information, following yesterday’s cabinet meeting, Netanyahu told ministers he intends to seek cabinet approval for a full re-occupation of the Gaza Strip. Horovitz delves into the pushback from several sectors of Israeli society -- including hostage families and security officials past and present -- and raises the possibility that this plan could be a negotiating lever to bring Hamas to the table. This idea to conquer and/or occupy the entire Gaza Strip comes as a report released Monday by the Hostages and Missing states that the 20 living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza are at an “immediate risk of death” due to starvation. The terrible conundrum of whether it is possible to simultaneously defeat Hamas and still get the hostages out alive has become increasingly more acute as the war continues. With this new leaked potential plan, Borschel-Dan wonders, has Netanyahu given up on the hostages? Horovitz responds. The government voted unanimously on Monday to dismiss Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara from office, following months of confrontation between the two sides, in a decision that will have deep legal and political reverberations given the government’s long-running efforts to weaken the judiciary. The move was then frozen by the High Court until the justices can rule on its legality. Horovitz gives three scenarios explaining why the government moved forward -- during the Knesset recess -- with this controversial step. Also on Monday afternoon, lawmakers on the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee voted 9-7 to appoint Likud MK Boaz Bismuth as their chairman, officially pushing out former chairman Yuli Edelstein in a move designed to end an impasse over legislation on military draft exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox community. What makes Bismuth a better candidate to push legislation forward? Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Netanyahu said set to order full takeover of Gaza, despite IDF qualms, risk to hostages Medical report: Hostages face ‘immediate risk of death’ from ‘systematic starvation’ ‘On the precipice of defeat’: 19 former defense chiefs demand end to Gaza war Government fires attorney general; High Court immediately freezes her dismissal MK Bismuth elected to head key defense panel, push through Haredi draft exemption law Edelstein shares Haredi draft proposal, hours before vote on his ouster as panel head 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: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sits in a military vehicle in the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip, July 18, 2024. (Avi Ohayon/Israel Prime Minister's Office via AP)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. A record 3,500-plus Jewish pilgrims were said to visit the Temple Mount over the course of the Tisha B’Av fast day. Among them was far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who led a group of Jewish worshipers in prayer. It was the first time that a government minister was recorded overtly worshipped at the flashpoint site in violation of the status quo. What has been the response so far? US special envoy Steve Witkoff was finally deployed to the Mideast this past weekend. We hear an update on the current stalemate in the hostage release-ceasefire negotiations and discuss what Witkoff and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee tweeted after entering the Gaza Strip on Friday to tour one of the joint US-Israel humanitarian distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. We also hear how US President Donald Trump currently views the situation on the ground in Gaza. And finally, Magid relays portions of conversations held recently with three men living in different parts of Gaza about how they daily face life-threatening danger to find food for their families. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: In first, Ben Gvir openly leads prayers on Temple Mount, in violation of status quo Witkoff, Huckabee tour Gaza, assess humanitarian situation, to help Trump craft aid plan PM said seeking ‘decisive military victory’ in Gaza, putting hostage families on edge 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: US special envoy Steve Witkoff (2nd left) and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee (3rd left) tour a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution site on August 1, 2025. (Mike Huckabee/X)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. Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group on Thursday published a propaganda video of hostage Rom Braslavski, whom it is holding captive in the Gaza Strip. A second propaganda video, from Hamas, was released Friday, showing hostage Evyatar David. We hear how the two young men look and what was said in the David video. The Israel Defense Forces declared yesterday that it had defeated Hamas’s Beit Hanoun battalion. It is the fifth time that the IDF is operating in the town of Beit Hanoun, which is located on the northeastern edge of the Gaza Strip, just across from Israel’s southern city of Sderot. Fabian describes what he saw and was told last week while in this area. While visiting southern Lebanon last week, Fabian was told that the IDF assesses that its achievements against Hezbollah since a November ceasefire could potentially bring the Lebanese terror group to complete disarmament. We hear why. The military announced last week that it will commute the sentences of three soldiers of the Nahal Infantry Brigade who were disciplined for insubordination after refusing to return to fight in Gaza. Fabian weighs in on whether this incident is just the tip of the iceberg and if the IDF is taking enough preventative steps to protect its fighters' mental health. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: In video, Hamas forces hostage Evyatar David to dig what he fears will be his own grave Islamic Jihad airs video of hostage Rom Braslavski; ‘They broke him,’ family says IDF declares defeat of Hamas battalion in Beit Hanoun, as operatives shown surrendering In Beit Hanoun for 5th time, officers say Hamas battalion to be destroyed ‘within a week’ IDF assesses successes against Hezbollah since ceasefire could lead to it disarming IDF commutes jail time for three soldiers who refused to return to Gaza combat 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 woman holds photos of top Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur, left, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, Hezbollah's former leader Hassan Nasrallah, right, and his cousin and successor, Hashem Safieddine, center, during a commemoration marking the first anniversary of Shukur's death in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, July 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing. Today, we have a special episode that we pulled from our archives. Just ahead of this year's observance of Tisha B’Av on Sunday, which commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples, we are replaying an episode of our former weekly podcast, Times Will Tell, in which we went onsite in Jerusalem to the Temple Mount Sifting Project. We speak with archaeologist Zachi Dvira, who is the co-director of the project. He’ll explain its controversial genesis and continuing struggle. At the end of our conversation, you'll hear as we wet-sift a bucket of earth taken from the Temple Mount. Founded in 2004 near the Mount of Olives, it’s now at a location called Mitzpe Hamasuot, near the Hebrew University. The site is easily accessible and has an auditorium and a shady picnic grove, which was made possible with the help of American Friends of Beit Orot. Dvira calls for all who have not been to help sift through thousands of years of Temple Mount history to "hurry up!" IMAGE: Visitors sifting buckets of earth from the Temple Mount at the relaunch of the Temple Mount Sifting Project, June 2, 2019. (Yosef Huri)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of the holiday of Tisha B'Av, we bring you this special What Matters Now podcast: 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 author Daniel Taub. Taub is an Israeli diplomat, international lawyer and author born in Britain in 1962. He moved to Israel in 1989, later serving in the IDF as a combat medic and as a reserve officer in the international law division. He started his path in diplomacy in the Israeli Foreign Ministry in 1991 where he held many legal and diplomatic posts, including as Israeli Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2011 to 2015. In his new book, "Beyond Dispute: Rediscovering the Jewish Art of Constructive Disagreement," Taub synthesizes his years spent at negotiating tables as a diplomat with his lifelong learning of Talmud. Drawing on techniques from both spheres, Taub argues that disagreement can be even more constructive than easy consensus -- and is necessary for treaties to last. We begin the program speaking about the Tisha B'Av holiday marked this weekend and how Israeli society today -- specifically, the painful ongoing debate over universal draft -- is coming close to the senseless hatred that tradition ascribes as a reason for the fall of the Temples. We then hear how one must pick a ripe time for negotiations, and how Taub's experiences on negotiation teams with Palestinians and Syrians make him think that Israelis, at the very least, are not ready to discuss a practical peace -- yet. And so this week, we ask Daniel Taub, what matters now. What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves. IMAGE: Author Daniel Taub (courtesy) / Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man pray as they gather for the mourning ritual of Tisha B'Av, in the Old City of Jerusalem, August 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.