TOI talks Donald, dogs, and the Rivlin-Obama love story

Donald Trump’s call to ban Muslims entering the United States went from an internal political debate to the front pages of the Israeli media when it was revealed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had planned to meet the controversial presidential hopeful this month.

The panel looks at The Donald’s impact on both the Republican primaries and Netanyahu’s image.

Staying in the US, the panel discusses Israeli President Reuven Rivlin’s meeting with President Barack Obama, the first between the two heads of state. Unlike the stony and stiff press conferences that accompany the Bibi-Barack meetings, Rivlin and Obama showed each other some serious diplomatic love.

Then it’s to the Western Wall as the tunes of “Maoz Tzur” accompany the panel’s take on this year’s Women of the Wall candle lighting ceremony.

And finally, when “dog bites man” becomes a story.

On this week’s panel:

Times of Israel founding editor David Horovitz

Ops and blogs editor Miriam Hershlag

Diplomatic correspondent Raphael Ahren

Host: Raoul Wootliff

Stories discussed in this week’s podcast:

To meet or not to meet? Netanyahu’s Trump conundrum

Trump says he canceled trip so as not to pressure Netanyahu

Rivlin to Obama: You have lit the candles for 7 years to show the way

Women light Hanukkah candles at Western Wall

Netanyahu’s dog bites MK, deputy FM’s husband

Blogs mentioned in this week’s podcast:

Wake-up call to Women of the Wall by Bonna Devora Haberman

Rivlin’s one-hug solution, Bibi’s dog, and the ‘unelectable’ Donald Trump by David Horovitz