Daily Briefing Dec. 18: Day 804 – Israel and Egypt clinch massive gas deal. What’s behind it?

US bureau chief Jacob Magid on 6 nations that have signed on (so far) to the Gaza Board of Peace, hints of a halt to the PA’s pay-to-slay system, and the White House Hanukkah party

With:
  • Amanda Borschel-Dan
    Amanda Borschel-Dan

    Deputy Editor Amanda Borschel-Dan is the host of The Times of Israel’s Daily Briefing, What Matters Now and The Reel Schmooze podcasts, and heads up The Times of Israel’s features.

  • Jacob Magid
    Jacob Magid

    Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel’s US bureau chief

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.

WATCH this episode here:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in a video message that he has approved the largest energy deal in Israel’s history. The natural gas deal with Egypt is worth NIS 112 billion ($34.7 billion), of which NIS 58 billion ($18 billion) will go into public coffers. Magid gives insight into the slow rollout of this massive deal.

Magid reported yesterday that the US has secured commitments from Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany to have their leaders join US President Donald Trump on the Board of Peace that will oversee the postwar management of Gaza. We review the significance of the names that are currently not on the list and the ambiguous mandate of the International Security Force — including an apparent walk-back from forcing Hamas to disarm.

On Sunday, hundreds of Palestinians attended protests across the West Bank against the Palestinian Authority’s new prisoner payment system. Does this public anger indicate that Ramallah is moving ahead with the Western-pushed welfare reform, or is it all smoke and mirrors, as Israel’s Foreign Ministry alleges?

In the annual Hanukkah party on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said that Congress “is becoming antisemitic,” as the “Jewish lobby” is no longer the strongest in Washington. Though he wasn’t given a White House latke this year, Magid agrees to set the scene and delves into statements made at the celebration.

Check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

‘Historic moment’: Netanyahu announces $34.7 billion natural gas deal with Egypt

Six countries have committed to joining Trump’s Board of Peace, say officials

ISF will not fight Hamas, say US officials, who still seek to deploy force next month

Palestinians protest PA prisoner payment reform, in apparent sign of implementation

At White House Hanukkah party, Trump laments ‘Jewish lobby’ no longer most powerful

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.

Check out yesterday’s episode here:

read more:
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