Daily Briefing Apr. 13 – Return to Sinai: Bureaucratic blunders and beach bliss

Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing: Your 15-minute audio update on what’s happening in Israel, the Middle East, and the Jewish world, from Sunday through Thursday.

Today’s panel comprises political and diplomatic correspondent Tal Schneider and US correspondent Jacob Magid, along with host Raoul Wootliff.

On today’s show, we start with Magid who recently returned from a vacation on the Sinai Peninsula, now that restrictions have been eased to allow 300 Israelis and others to cross between Israel and Egypt each day — assuming they have all the correct paperwork that day.

We look at the recent visit to Israel of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the different messages we heard from him and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Then, an update on the daily twists and turns of the negotiations to form a new government. Yamina’s Naftali Bennett has declared that he will support a right-wing coalition, but the numbers still don’t add up. To bolster the coalescing coalition, reports state, Likud has offered New Hope Head Gideon Sa’ar the presidency. Where is all this headed?

And finally, jumping across the pond, we assess Nikki Haley’s announcement that she will back Donald Trump in 2024 if he announces a presidential run.

Discussed articles include:

Parting the red tape, Israeli tourists wander back into the Sinai

Netanyahu to visiting US defense secretary: We won’t let Iran obtain nukes

Amid spiraling tensions, Israel and US to convene strategic group on Iran

Bennett says Likud can count on his party to back a right-wing government

Likud said to offer to back Sa’ar for president in bid to get Knesset majority

Nikki Haley says she’ll back Trump, give up own bid if he runs in 2024

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