Daily Briefing March 15: Is Israel’s Ukrainian refugee policy racist?
Tal Schneider on a long-awaited Israeli field hospital and a rabbi who brought Herzog and Erdogan together; Judah Ari Gross on how Israel is paving the way for Ukrainian aliya
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.
Political correspondent Tal Schneider and Diaspora affairs correspondent Judah Ari Gross join host Amanda Borschel-Dan.
Schneider updates us on Israel’s shuttle diplomacy after Prime Minister Naftali Bennett held back-to-back phone calls yesterday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Next, Israel has been working on putting up a field hospital along Ukraine’s border, but it has hit some snags. What is going on?
Gross explains how Israel is stepping up for the potential influx of tens of thousands of new immigrants. How is Israel changing its policy to accommodate more potential immigrants, faster?
Relatedly, we hear about next-level concerns regarding refugees, now that Israel is opening the doors to increasing numbers. Also, how the minister of immigration and absorption responded to the easing of Ukrainians’ paths to Israel.
And finally, Schneider brings us the tale of Rabbi Marc Schneier, an influential and controversial rabbi to American celebrities and Gulf sheikhs alike, and his role in bringing Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan together. And we should note, it’s been confirmed.
Discussed articles include:
Bennett holds back-to-back phone calls with Putin, Zelensky on ceasefire efforts
Israel rolls out plan to help incoming waves of new immigrants
Israel to significantly shorten entry process for would-be immigrants from Ukraine
Hundreds of new immigrants from Ukraine arrive Sunday in largest one-day airlift
Ministers defend hardline refugee policy at meeting marred by offensive jokes
Behind Israel’s rekindled flame with Turkey, a rabbi with a penchant for matchmaking
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