The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

The Times of Israel
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Welcome to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing: Your update on what’s important in Israel, the Middle East and The Jewish World.

  1. Who has Trump's ear on Iran and Lebanon: Vance or Rubio?

    22 hrs ago

    Who has Trump's ear on Iran and Lebanon: Vance or Rubio?

    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 the first of three days of talks between Jerusalem and Beirut, Magid discusses the sharp critique issued by Israel's US Ambassador Yechiel Leiter regarding the connection being made between the Lebanon track and the US-Iran deal, and the notion that Iran is being allowed to demand a ceasefire in a separate country. There is a battle of narratives in US President Donald Trump's administration over the US-Iran deal, notes Magid, extending into the Israel-Lebanon talks. US Vice President JD Vance, who is currently leading the US-Iran talks, supports having Hezbollah as part of the conversation regarding deconfliction in Lebanon and views it as the only way forward for the embattled country, reports Magid. It appears that Secretary of State Marc Rubio, currently on a regional tour in the United Arab Emirates, isn't as supportive of the terms of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, says Magid -- or of Iranian influence in Lebanon -- and is keeping some distance, perhaps to protect his place as a possible Republican Party candidate for the 2028 presidential election. Finally, Magid discusses Gaza's Board of Peace, as various members head to Cyprus for a retreat to figure out how to move forward while insisting that it will take time to make headway on Hamas disarmament and Gaza reconstruction. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: ‘A train wreck’: As Jerusalem and Beirut hold talks, Israeli envoy pans linkage to US-Iran deal Rubio: Iran will not be allowed to charge tolls in Strait of Hormuz under any final deal Board of Peace members to ‘recalibrate’ at Cyprus resort after rocky first six months Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's Daily Briefing podcast (ToI/Israeli Embassy) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    22 min
  2. Underground Hezbollah base put all of Israel in range

    1d ago

    Underground Hezbollah base put all of Israel in range

    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 an IDF press tour of a Hezbollah underground military base, Fabian describes the massive space created with Iranian planning and funds, used as a staging ground for car-sized UAV drones that can travel the length and width of Israel. Fabian notes that the underground base is similar to what has been found in Iran, missile sites built into a mountain to hold and launch assets, and constructed during the last decade. With Israel and Lebanon slated to start talks in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, Fabian discusses the IDF's positioning in Lebanon and the army's ceasefire limitations from acting against all but the most immediate threats. Several Hamas terrorists in Gaza -- known to have been involved in taking hostages on October 7, 2023 -- were recently targeted and killed by IDF strikes. Fabian reports that while the operations violate the ongoing ceasefire, the IDF claims the terrorists were planning on carrying out strikes on Israeli forces. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: IDF captures Hezbollah drone factory and launch site hidden inside south Lebanon mountain On eve of direct Jerusalem-Beirut talks, Israel vows to maintain presence in Lebanon IDF: Oct. 7 terrorist who held Omer Shem Tov hostage killed in recent Gaza strike IDF says it killed Hamas sniper who moonlighted as Al Jazeera cameraman Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's Daily Briefing podcast (ToI/Emanuel Fabian) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    22 min
  3. 'A cease between fires': Living on Israel's northern front

    2d ago

    'A cease between fires': Living on Israel's northern front

    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. Health reporter Diana Bletter joins host Gabriella Jacobs for today's episode. Bletter joins us from her home near Nahariya after speaking with residents across Israel's north about life during an uneasy, on-again-off-again ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. She describes a region unable to move forward. Residents are exhausted after another disrupted school year, uncertain about what the coming months will bring, yet determined to remain in the communities they call home. She shares stories of hardship and resilience from communities living just kilometers from the Lebanese border. Later in the episode, we move on to discuss a breakthrough in cancer therapy developed by scientists from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, who have engineered nanoparticles that treat aggressive “triple-negative” breast cancer tumors without chemotherapy or drugs.  We conclude by diving into a revolutionary method of identifying life beyond Earth by analyzing the diversity of molecular groups, pioneered by Israeli researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Bletter explains how scientists plan to use this method on Eureka, an Israeli spacecraft concept currently in planning. Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and edited by Ari Schlacht. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    15 min
  4. Can a critical Vance have Israel's back in Iran talks?

    3d ago

    Can a critical Vance have Israel's back in Iran talks?

    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. News editor Ben Sales joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. A round of US-Iran negotiations on implementing the agreement to end the war was set to kick off in Switzerland today. US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reportedly added a special session on Lebanon to their packed agenda. The talks come after an Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed and 13 were wounded in southern Lebanon in an attack by the Hezbollah terror group early Saturday morning, and a four-man IDF tank crew was killed early Friday. The IDF said Saturday it “halted its fire” outside its declared “security zone” in southern Lebanon, but would continue operations within it. Sales discusses how Vance's personal opinion of Israel -- including harsh statements on Israel's supposed ingratitude to the Trump administration and an accusation that Israel tries to kill its way out of every problem -- could color the negotiations. In the second half of the program, we ask, is it the end of a golden age of Jewish American travel to Israel? Is it because the sponsoring institutions have shifted away from thinking that an American Jew who has traveled to Israel is more likely to stay Jewishly involved, marry Jewish and support the Jewish state? And why, despite the offer of a free trip, are many fewer young adults coming? Sales weighs in. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US-Iran set for new talks; Trump threatens US tolls in Hormuz if deal not reached in 60 days Vance slams Israeli ‘freakout’ over Iran deal, says Trump only world leader who still likes Israel IDF soldier killed, 13 injured in overnight Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon Trump’s unfiltered commentary on Lebanon is leaving Israel with an impossible choice Canceled flights, high prices: Is the golden age of American Jewish travel to Israel ending? Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Yitzchak Ledee. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    22 min
  5. The Reel Schmooze on 'What's up, Doc?': Sultry Streisand's screwball meshugas

    4d ago

    The Reel Schmooze on 'What's up, Doc?': Sultry Streisand's screwball meshugas

    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. This week, as Borschel-Dan continues to read Hoffman's recommendation -- "My Name Is Barbra," Barbra Streisand's verrrrry long biography -- we turn to an audience favorite, the 1972 screwball comedy, "What's Up, Doc?" Directed by Peter Bogdanovich, the film is a cleverly stylized updated homage to the golden era of Hollywood. It features Streisand playing a wacky vagabond and hunky Ryan O'Neal as a nerdy musicology prof, plus a slew of then-unknown Jewish stars, including Madeline Kahn. But the real star of the show is the 1970s fashions and cars. Let's hear who gave it 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    47 min
  6. Former prime minister Naftali Bennett on this existential moment

    5d ago

    Former prime minister Naftali Bennett on this existential moment

    Welcome to What Matters Now, a weekly podcast exploring key issues currently shaping Israel and the Jewish World. This week, we hear from former prime minister Naftali Bennett in conversation with founding editor David Horovitz and political correspondent Tal Schneider. Speaking with ToI on June 11 at the campaign headquarters of Together, the new, merged party he now leads with former prime minister Yair Lapid, Bennett said Israel is facing “an existential moment,” and warned that another term under the current government would leave the country without a functioning economy, society or international position. “Another four years with this government, we won’t have an economy, we won’t have a society,” he charged. “The Haredi issue will just crash us all. We won’t have an international standing anywhere. We have to act now.” And so, this week, we ask Naftali Bennett, what matters now. For further reading: Bennett to ToI: ‘We’re at an existential moment. Another four years with this government, we won’t have a society’ What Matters Now podcasts are available for download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was edited by Yitzchak Ledee. Former prime minister Naftali Bennett (ToI) / Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men scuffle with police during a protest against military recruitment and call for the release of detained draft resisters outside a military prison near Kfar Yona, Israel, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    48 min
  7. Signed and sealed, Iran-US deal launches with Trumpian fanfare

    6d ago

    Signed and sealed, Iran-US deal launches with Trumpian fanfare

    Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a deal Wednesday meant to end the Middle East war, causing it to go into effect two days earlier than originally envisioned, with Tehran agreeing to dilute its enriched uranium in return for large-scale economic relief. Magid takes us through the points of primary concern for Israel, including its right of self-defense against Hezbollah attacks. In a lengthy press conference at the G7 summit in France yesterday, Trump claimed Iran should be allowed to keep some of its ballistic missiles. He also repeatedly castigated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including stating he is less justified in criticizing the memorandum of understanding that Trump signed with Iran because the Israeli premier purportedly pulled out of a joint operation to kill top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in 2020. We hear other sharp criticisms of Netanyahu, including accusations of disproportionate force. In the second half of the program, Magid brings his exclusive scoop that the US is in talks with the Palestinian Authority about boosting what has been a strained bilateral relationship, as Washington seeks Ramallah’s cooperation to advance its landmark policy initiatives in the region. And who is chaperoning the reforms DC is seeking? Enter Saudi Arabia. And finally, Magid explains how former UK prime minister Tony Blair is taking on a larger role in the Board of Peace, where he will be tasked with managing the various mechanisms that are meant to oversee the postwar management of Gaza. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: US, Iran sign war-ending deal, which enters into effect 2 days earlier than planned ‘Shall not develop nuclear weapons’: The 14-point memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran As deal takes force, Trump says ‘it’s okay’ for Iran to have some ballistic missiles Trump suggests Israel in no place to criticize Iran deal since it backed out of 2020 strike on Soleimani US weighs boosting ties with PA as it seeks to advance Gaza plan and Abraham Accords Tony Blair takes on larger role as US-led Board of Peace struggles to advance Gaza plan Gaza mediators glum on chances for breakthrough before Israeli elections in the fall Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing 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.

    25 min
  8. Best frenemy? Trump turns on Israel at G7 summit

    Jun 17

    Best frenemy? Trump turns on Israel at G7 summit

    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. During the course of the G7 summit of global leaders in France on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said that Syria should replace Israel in the fight against Lebanon’s Hezbollah. He argued that the Jewish state’s war on the Iran-backed terror group has been too prolonged and indiscriminate, adding that Israel would have been “blown off the face of the earth” if not for him. Horovitz unpacks the multilayered concerns plaguing Israel in the wake of Trump's statements. The US-Iran memorandum of understanding, expected to be signed at an in-person gathering on Friday, reportedly provides for a full cessation of hostilities by Iran, the United States and their allies — including in Lebanon, where Israel has been battling Tehran’s proxy Hezbollah. This comes as Israel and Lebanon are nearing a US-mediated lasting ceasefire agreement, according to a Tuesday report. If the IDF were to withdraw from southern Lebanon, are Lebanese forces really strong enough to face Hezbollah? Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich claimed on Tuesday to have “abolished” components of the 1997 Hebron agreement that gave the Palestinian municipal council of Hebron authority over planning, zoning and construction in the H2 zone of the West Bank city, where the Jewish settlement of Hebron is located along with the Tomb of the Patriarchs. Can this effort be isolated from the looming elections? Horovitz weighs in on this and the current ultra-Orthodox move in the Knesset to pass Basic Law: Torah Study. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Trump: Israel’s war on Hezbollah is too long, too deadly; Syria should fight the group instead US-Iran deal said set to halt regional hostilities, including in Lebanon, lift blockade Israel-Lebanon talks said close to yielding lasting ceasefire deal Smotrich says he’s ‘abolished Hebron agreement,’ given Israel more power in flashpoint city Netanyahu denounces ‘police state’ trial as his cross-examination ends after over a 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 Yitzchak Ledee. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    27 min
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Welcome to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing: Your update on what’s important in Israel, the Middle East and The Jewish World.

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