Daily Briefing Jan 31: Day 117 – Knesset to vote on expelling MK who said war was ‘genocide’
Political reporter Sam Sokol on storm before 14-2 vote to advance MK Ofer Cassif’s impeachment, why Diaspora Ministry is under fire; news editor Amy Spiro on Those We Have Lost
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.
Today is Day 117 of the war. Political correspondent Sam Sokol and news editor Amy Spiro join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today’s episode.
Members of the Knesset House Committee overwhelmingly supported a motion to expel Hadash-Ta’al party lawmaker Ofer Cassif on Tuesday. Sokol was at the 14-2 vote to advance MK Ofer Cassif’s impeachment to the Knesset plenum after two days of contentious debate and fills us in.
In a recently released report, Tel Aviv University’s Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry argued that the Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Ministry was established for “petty political reasons,” “lacks vision and substance” and has “promoted few initiatives.” So should the ministry be shuttered?
Spiro, head of the Those We Have Lost series that aims to commemorate all who fell in the Israel-Hamas War, updates us on the 400 posts that represent some 485 of 1,200 victims. We hear about several trends noted by Spiro, including the popularity of tattoos among mourners as a way of becoming a living memorial.
For the latest updates, please look at The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.
Discussed articles include:
Panel votes 14-2 to expel MK Cassif for Gaza genocide claims; now Knesset will vote
An MK accused Israel of ‘genocide.’ Now he may be expelled from the Knesset
Damning Tel Aviv University report calls to shutter Diaspora Ministry
More than skin deep: Israelis who inked October 7 on their bodies as a living memorial
Chief Warrant Officer Ido ‘Crido’ Rosenthal, 45: A habitual hero
Cpl. Noam Avramovich, 19: Soldier was a ‘once-in-a-lifetime leader’
Eitan Ziv, 74, Tami Peleg Ziv, 72: Lives entwined with nation’s history
THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas’s onslaught on Israel
THOSE WE ARE MISSING: The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown
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