Daily Briefing June 25: Day 263 - Opposition raps PM, says he thinks himself a 'king'

Political correspondent Sam Sokol discusses submarine affair, heated Knesset debate; Arab affairs reporter Gianluca Pacchiani talks about Palestinian labor and Beirut airport

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.

Political correspondent Sam Sokol and Arab affairs reporter Gianluca Pacchiani join host Jessica Steinberg for today’s episode.

Sokol discusses what led to a fierce debate in the Knesset Monday, after a commission that was looking into past defense purchases sent warning letters to several officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid used the opportunity to attack the prime minister for his past actions and those of October 7 at a “Forty Votes Debate,” joined by New Hope party leader Gideon Sa’ar, who said Netanyahu was acting like a “king” or an “emperor,” as the prime minister defended his decisions.

Sokol notes that the debate concluded with the passage of the first reading of legislation that raises the age at which reservists are no longer required to report for duty, while legislation is still pending regarding lowering the ages of exemption for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students.

Pacchiani talks about an interview with Palestinian laborers who have been out of work for the last eight months, part of a labor force of some 200,000 people who work mostly in construction and agriculture. He says there appears to be a political decision to push the Palestinian Authority toward bankruptcy.

He also mentions press reports about a backfiring foreign press tour of Beirut airport organized by the Lebanese government in an attempt to prove it was not storing weapons there imported from Iran.

For more updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.