The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
As Iran rebuffs US President Donald Trump, insisting there are no ongoing talks between the two parties, Magid notes that the regime's denials have frustrated the US leader, while Iran doesn't seem deterred by the president's incendiary language.
Magid discusses the sense of anticipation among Board of Peace members about convincing Hamas to agree to its disarmament proposal. The Israeli government, however, is not on board with the plan. And it has continued to carry out strikes against Hamas, notably including terrorists who invaded on October 7, 2023, and those who abducted hostages -- which could sabotage the deal. Israel's objections to the deal, says Magid, has apparently led the board to accept a more gradual withdrawal for Israel from the ceasefire lines in Gaza.
In the second half of the podcast, Magid reviews the ongoing banking crisis in the Palestinian Authority, after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich signed a last-minute waiver that supports Israeli banks providing services crucial to keeping the West Bank economy afloat.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Board of Peace appears to shift terms for IDF pullback after meeting PM; Gaza airstrike reported
Trump: ‘Unbelievably duplicitous’ Iran begged for talks, now denies they’re happening
Israel acts to ease Palestinian banking crisis it helped create, but is it moving too late?
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht produced this episode.
IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid appears on the Daily Briefing podcast with host Jessica Steinberg (Flash 90)
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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 President Donald Trump said Sunday night that negotiations with Iran would begin on Monday to finalize a deal that reopens the Strait of Hormuz after he again called off a major attack on the Islamic Republic over the weekend. For its part, Iran denies any talks are set to take place.
Berman analyzes the current stalemate as Trump appears to adopt a "Saudi-first policy" in his approach to prosecuting the Iran war and the Israelis are left in the dark. What creative approaches could change the balance?
Board of Peace Gaza envoy Nickolay Mladenov on Sunday lamented continued Israeli strikes in Gaza that “have killed civilians and destroyed medical supplies that people depend on,” days after the body reached a disarmament deal with the Hamas terror organization that would also see Israel withdraw from the Strip. Why is official Israel still silent on the deal?
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Trump says talks with Iran will start Monday on deal to reopen Hormuz
Board of Peace envoy laments recent Gaza strikes amid effort to implement Trump plan
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Yitzhak Ledee filmed and edited this episode.
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.
Mideast expert Ksenia Svetlova joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
US President Donald Trump said late Saturday that he had called off a major attack on Iran after being assured by Tehran and other Middle East countries that a framework for a deal to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and “end the Iran nuclear threat” had been reached. Ahead of that announcement, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call with Trump in which he stressed the importance of talks and of preventing the conflict with Iran from widening.
Today, Svetlova delves into Saudi Arabia: What are its concerns during this current conflict with Iran, even as it must deal with the Houthis and their threats to block the Red Sea. She proposes that, despite assurances from Trump, the chances of normalization between the Jewish state and the Saudi kingdom are increasingly slim.
In the wake of the drone strike on a US-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta, Svetlova assesses the willingness of Egypt to join the fray against Iran.
We take a look at the newly announced deal that would see Hamas eventually lay down its arms. How is it being received by the Arab world?
And finally, Svetlova speaks about senior Palestinian figure Mohammad Dahlan, who has stepped into the spotlight for helping broker the Hamas disarmament. Who is he and will we soon be hearing more about him in future leadership roles?
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Trump says he and Israel have called off Iran attack after being assured deal is imminent
Saudis said to gear up for ground invasion against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen
Drone strikes US-owned gas tanker in Egyptian port, in possible expansion of Mideast war
Exiled Palestinian leader says Kushner told him Israel would halt Gaza strikes; deletes post
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ari Schlacht edited this episode.
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 Shlomit Ravitsky Tur-Paz, the director of the Israel Democracy Institute's Joan and Irwin Jacobs Center for Shared Society and head of the Religion and State Program at the center.
Ahead of the upcoming October 27 elections, Israel is looking increasingly stratified, with each segment fighting for its own electorate and particularist needs.
In this week's conversation, we focus on two pivotal Israeli societies: the Religious Zionist and Haredi or ultra-Orthodox communities.
Ravitsky Tur-Paz, who earned two degrees from the Hebrew University's law school, has spent much of her professional life dealing with the question of how religion can coexist with modern civil society.
In the first half of the episode, we learn about the Religious Zionist community and how the party of the same name does -- or does not -- reflect it.
We delve into the settler movement and new patterns of extremist, violent behavior within it. How do these actions align with Jewish theology, or is a new theology being forged?
In the second half, we turn to the Haredi sector and learn about its own mosaic of communities.
Ravitsky Tur-Paz describes the growing resentment facing the society as it chooses to prevent the vast majority of its men from serving in the IDF and from participating in the workforce. We hear what demographic, security and financial concerns this lifestyle presents to Israel today, and in the near future.
And so this week, we ask Shlomit Ravitsky Tur-Paz, 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 Ari Schlacht.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Reel Schmooze with ToI film reviewer Jordan Hoffman and host Amanda Borschel-Dan, where we bring you all the entertainment news and film reviews a Jew can use.
We have two Jangles this week. Borschel-Dan explains how Boy George released a reggae-inspired track, titled “Od Nirkod” in Hebrew, "We Will Dance Again," on his social media accounts on Monday. The duo chews this over.
Hoffman is still jazzed from a Phish show he had seen the previous night. He brings us a fascinating and statistically rare sound sample.
The main feature this week is Billy Wilder's 1944 "Double Indemnity," which is considered by many -- including our very own movie maven -- as one of the best pieces of film noir to date.
Wilder was born in 1906 in Sucha, Galicia, today's Poland, to a Jewish family. He moved as a boy to Vienna, eventually working as a journalist and screenwriter, and moved to Paris as the Nazis rose to power. By 1934, he had made his way to Hollywood and begun working on films.
Last week, Hoffman dared Borschel-Dan to find the Jewish themes of this week's film. Set in 1938, "Double Indemnity" probes the banality of evil even as Wilder's own family was being massacred in Nazi Europe.
Wilder won the first of his seven Oscars for the film, which stars Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck and the Jewish actor Edward Goldenberg Robinson (born Emanuel Goldenberg).
Let’s hear who gave this film an “oy,” “meh” or the prized “not bad” this week on The Reel Schmooze.
The Reel Schmooze is produced by Ari Schlacht and can be found wherever you get your podcasts.
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