Daily Briefing Feb. 26 – Nuke talks resume even as US F-22s crowd Israeli skies

Editor David Horovitz on Bollywood-level antics at the Knesset during PM Modi’s visit and a new bill to tamp down egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall

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.

  • David Horovitz
    David Horovitz

    David Horovitz is the founding editor of The Times of Israel. He is the author of “Still Life with Bombers” (2004) and “A Little Too Close to God” (2000), and co-author of “Shalom Friend: The Life and Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin” (1996). He previously edited The Jerusalem Post (2004-2011) and The Jerusalem Report (1998-2004).

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.

WATCH the full episode here:

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.

Check out yesterday’s episode here:

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