The Times of Israel Daily Briefing

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what's behind the news that spins the globe.
There is a religious community in Israel dedicated to spreading peace throughout the country and beyond. Days after October 7, this community opened its doors for hundreds of Israelis from diverse backgrounds, stressing the importance of maintaining peaceful dialogue between ethnic and religious groups.
That community is Muslim.
The Ahmadiyya number only around 2,000 in Israel, but are part of a global community of some 20 million.
In today's Lazar Focus, Imam Imad Al Masri, a Jordanian cleric living in Haifa, explains the origins of his sect and makes an impassioned case for the Ahmadiyya vision for spreading peace around the world.
As he marks the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, he discusses the community's outreach in Palestinian areas, including in the Gaza Strip under Hamas rule and during the recent war there. Al Masri recounts the reaction of the Ahmadiyya community to the October 7, 2023, attacks and how they dealt with initial suspicions from their Jewish neighbors.
As Israel maintains a shaky ceasefire in Gaza and prepares for a possible war with Iran, the Ahmadiyya present an unwavering call for peace that many find refreshing and uplifting.
Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.
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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.
Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Negotiators resumed US-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday, hours after senior American officials made the case that Iran poses a major threat to the United States and is actively working toward a nuclear bomb. Horovitz updates us on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance's statements and describes the intense US military buildup in the Mideast. He then assesses the Israeli public's willingness to join in on any eventual strike against Iran and how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could leverage the crisis in this election year.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a two-day visit to Israel on Wednesday and Thursday, where he pledged to work in lockstep with the Jewish state to confront Islamist terrorism. In what Horovitz describes as a regrettably rare sentiment from world leaders, the Indian premier told the Knesset that his nation stands “firmly” with Israel. We learn what else happened behind the scenes.
In an effort to circumvent a Supreme Court order to expand egalitarian prayer access at the Western Wall, lawmakers voted 56-47 Wednesday afternoon in favor of the preliminary reading of a bill giving the Chief Rabbinate full control over prayer at all parts of the holy site -- not just the Orthodox prayer plaza. It has drawn harsh condemnation from progressive Jewish groups, which condemned the controversial legislation as “patronizing and antisemitic.” Horovitz weighs in.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Facing Trump, Hamas bet on survival and is being vindicated; Iran’s regime has the same game plan
As talks resume, Rubio, Vance accuse Iran of trying to restart its nuclear program
Iranian FM arrives in Geneva for talks as US demands any nuclear deal last indefinitely
F-22 jets deploy at Israeli Air Force base as US builds up forces for Iran strike
In the Knesset, Modi says India stands firmly with Israel ‘in this moment and beyond’
MKs approve preliminary bill cementing Orthodox control over entire Western Wall
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: A Valar Atomics microreactor is seen on a C-17 aircraft, without nuclear fuel, at March Air Reserve Base, California, February 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthew Daly)
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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.
US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.
In the foreign policy portion of his lengthy State of the Union address, US President Donald Trump repeated his oft-mentioned talking points about Iran, Magid reports, noting the president's terminology about never hesitating to confront threats against the US.
Trump has said he is "aware of" last week's killing of Palestinian-American 19-year-old Nasrallah Abu Siam in an armed settler attack in the West Bank, and Magid reviews why the US administration has not commented or gotten involved in this latest incident of Jewish settler violence.
As the US Embassy in Israel announces first-time pop-up locations for consular services in the Jewish settlements of Efrat and Beitar Illit, Magid discusses the decision to hold the project in these new locations.
With a formal communication channel established between the Board of Peace and the Palestinian Authority, Magid discusses how the PA is seeking legitimacy and aims to be as involved as possible in the Gaza reconstruction.
Magid also reports on conversations with Arab and European diplomats involved in the Board of Peace, and their comments about the enormous amount of pressure required to be applied on Hamas and Israel for the disarmament of Hamas to succeed.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Trump: US ‘wiped out’ Iran’s nuclear program ‘but they want to start all over again’
US avoids condemning settler killing of Palestinian-American in armed West Bank attack
In first, US embassy to provide consular services at pop-ups in West Bank settlements
US approves formal communication channel between PA and Board of Peace — officials
Waving off the skeptics, US feeling bullish after Board of Peace inaugural confab
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: President Donald Trump exits the House Chamber after delivering the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (Kenny Holston/The New York Times via AP, Pool)
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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.
Archaeology reporter Rossella Tercatin and diplomatic reporter Nava Freiberg join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
If Iran attacks Israel, it will be “perhaps the most serious mistake in their history,” warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday evening, threatening an overwhelming response to any aggression. As the world awaits US President Donald Trump's State of the Union address tonight, Freiberg updates us with the push-pull diplomacy of the past day.
The Palestinian technocratic body tasked with managing postwar Gaza announced last week that it was opening applications for “qualified candidates” seeking to serve in a “transitional police force” to be deployed in the Strip. This comes as Hamas appears poised to keep hold of its control of civilian and security infrastructure even as the Trump peace plan moves ahead.
The Great Isaiah Scroll, the oldest nearly complete book from the Hebrew Bible ever found, is on display in its full length for the first time since 1968. Tercatin was on hand at Jerusalem's Israel Museum for the unveiling and fills us in.
Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.
For further reading:
Trump said frustrated with limits of military leverage against Iran
Netanyahu: An attack on Israel would be ‘most serious mistake’ in Iranian history
Hamas seen working to maintain control of Gaza via Trump-backed bodies
Gaza oversight committee seeks ‘qualified’ candidates to join Strip’s police force
Great Isaiah Scroll, oldest near-complete biblical book ever found, on show in entirety for 1st time since 1968
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: Hamas gunmen in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City, November 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
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The conversations around Israel and Zionism have become increasingly fraught, often resulting in heated arguments and a flurry of talking points. For many, finding space for context and nuance in such a charged and confusing landscape can be difficult.
To address this void, the Jewish Federations of North America produced a series titled Getting Grounded in Israel and Zionism. They want to bring this sponsored episode to our Daily Briefing listeners to help you move away from slogans and explore the history, ideas, and tensions shaping today’s discourse.
Today, we are sharing Episode 6 from that series, titled "The Debate: Simple Labels Don't Work." This episode examines why common terminology often fails to capture reality and encourages listeners to examine their own assumptions.
Whether you are looking for a refresher on the historical context or trying to navigate the current social media environment, this episode offers a look at the intellectual and political framework of the region. You can find the full series, along with additional educational resources and videos, at understandingisrael.org or by searching for the show on your preferred podcast platform.
Here is Episode 6 of Getting Grounded in Israel and Zionism, brought to you by the Jewish Federations of North America.
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