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.
Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz joins host Jessica Steinberg for today’s episode.
Horovitz discusses the Israeli Air Force strike on the Hodeida port in Yemen in response to the Houthi missile that hit Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday morning, and the ongoing bafflement about how to handle the challenge presented by the Iran-backed Houthis.
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He discusses the mood in the country as thousands of reservists are called up again to fight in Gaza, as polls show that two-thirds of Israelis would be prepared to stop fighting Hamas in order to bring the remaining hostages home. Horovitz notes that the language used by both the government and army is not clear with regard to the plans for future fighting in Gaza. That, along with an unpredictable US administration, he said, makes it hard to know what will happen next.
Horovitz also offers a brief look at the cabinet decision against establishing a state commission to probe October 7, even after the attorney general had recommended it. He notes a twofold concern: that a disaster of this scope will never happen again, and that Israel will be able to defend itself against international charges by pointing to the fact that it has performed its own scrutiny into what took place on that day.
Finally, Horovitz comments on remarks made by US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff at an Israel Independence Day event at the US Embassy in Washington, DC. The envoy’s clear message is that Israel needs to be united despite all the pressures from the outside and inside.
Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.
20 Israeli fighter jets strike in Yemen after Houthi missile hits Ben Gurion Airport
Foreign airlines extend suspension of Israel flights day after Houthi missile hit airport
Cabinet rejects state probe of Oct. 7; said set to legislate ‘special’ commission instead
Witkoff urges Israelis to ‘choose unity over division’ on ‘bittersweet’ Independence Day
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 and video edited by Thomas Girsch.