Jacob Magid

Jacob Magid is the settlements correspondent for The Times of Israel.

Grapevines chopped down in the Kfar Etzion settleement on February 17, 2018. (Yaron Rosental)

February 17, 2019, 12:10 pm

Settlers in Kfar Etzion blame neighboring Palestinians after crop destroyed

Some 200 grapevines and cherry trees destroyed in fields worked by residents of kibbutz south of Jerusalem

By Jacob Magid

Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman attends a Finance Committee meeting at the Knesset, on August 8, 2018. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

February 16, 2019, 11:09 pm

Police suspect Litzman met with top psychiatrist to sway him on Leifer case

Deputy health minister’s alleged meeting with Jacob Charnes, a key witness in the sex offense extradition proceedings, could constitute obstruction of justice

By TOI staff and Jacob Magid

Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman is seen leaving a meeting in Jerusalem on February 14, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

February 16, 2019, 12:54 am

Litzman threatened state psychiatrists into helping alleged pedophile — report

Deputy health minister said to have told Health Ministry professionals they could be fired if they didn’t fake diagnosis to help Malka Leifer avoid extradition to Australia

By TOI staff and Jacob Magid

In this February 27, 2018, file photo, Malka Leifer, center, is brought to a courtroom in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean, File)

February 15, 2019, 6:00 pm

Alleged sex abuser’s former PR guru now working for Benny Gantz

Israel Resilience party spokeswoman points out Ronen Tzur no longer works on Malka Leifer’s behalf; woman’s accusers ‘shocked’ to learn of prominent new position

By Jacob Magid

From left, Orit Strok, Yifat Erlich, Betzalel Smotrich, Rafi Peretz and Ofir Sofer posing after agreeing to form a joint Jewish Home National Union Knesset slate February 14, 2019. (Courtesy)

February 15, 2019, 2:16 am

Jewish Home and National Union agree to reunite for Knesset run

National Union boosts standing after a week of talks, snagging number 2 spot on national religious list and rights to ministerial portfolio

By Jacob Magid

Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman speaks during a press conference at the Health Ministry in Jerusalem on January 3, 2019. (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

February 14, 2019, 8:15 pm

UTJ’s Litzman suspected of trying to prevent extradition of alleged sex abuser

Police question deputy health minister on suspicion he sought to obtain false legal opinion claiming Malka Leifer not mentally fit to be sent to Australia to face charges

By Jacob Magid

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and then-cabinet secretary Avichai Mandelblit at the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem on July 5, 2015. (Emil Salman/Pool/Flash90)

February 14, 2019, 2:17 pm

AG gearing up to indict PM on quid pro quo deal with Yedioth’s Mozes — report

Avichai Mandelblit is said to be leaning toward opinion of prosecution, which is recommending that Netanyahu be charged for bribery in Case 2000

By Jacob Magid

Ariel University in the West Bank (CC-BY Michael Jacobson/Wikipedia)

February 13, 2019, 8:59 pm

AG, West Bank education body put Ariel University medical school back on track

Mandelblit deems earlier ruling to nix program by sub-body of Council for Higher Education is non-binding, paving way for project to once again be green-lighted

By Jacob Magid

The West Bank Bedouin community of Khan al-Ahmar, Sunday, October 21, 2018. (AP/Majdi Mohammed)

February 13, 2019, 7:43 pm

PM says ‘it would certainly help’ if Khan al-Ahmar razed before election

Two ministers claim anonymously that Netanyahu may be seeking to exploit timing of Bedouin hamlet’s demolition for political gain ahead of national vote

By Jacob Magid

President Reuven Rivlin (c) stands with a group of children holding signs that read "to be a free people on our land," after paying a condolence visit at the home of Ori Ansbacher's family in the Tekoa settlement on February 13, 2019. (Courtesy)

February 13, 2019, 4:57 pm

President visits family of Ori Ansbacher, vows to ‘light up’ world in her memory

Rivlin, US ambassador pay condolence visits to relatives of Israeli teen murdered in Jerusalem terror attack

By Jacob Magid

Riki Eyal stands in front of the door of her home in Arad (Johanna Chisholm/Times of Israel)

February 12, 2019, 11:40 am

The spy who never loved me: A mother of 7 says her marriage was a Shin Bet cover

Despite 15 years of lies, abuse and poverty, Riki Eyal mainly blames not her ex-husband, but the security service that recruited him to gather intelligence on her settler community

By Jacob Magid

Arafat Irfaiya, charged with the murder of 19-year-old Ori Ansbacher, at the Jerusalem Magistrate's court on February 11, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

February 12, 2019, 6:44 am

Suspect in murder of teen: ‘I wanted to kill a Jew and be a martyr’ — report

Arafat Irfaiya, accused of brutally killing Ori Ansbacher, said to tell Shin Bet he crossed into Israel, sprinted to avoid detection by security cameras, looked for Jewish victim

By Jacob Magid

Israeli local Ofer Ohana argues with members of a new Palestinian observer group in the West Bank city of Hebron on February 10, 2019.(Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)

February 12, 2019, 1:16 am

Launch of Palestinian civilian monitor group angers settlers in Hebron

Volunteers walking children to school shoved and slapped by settlers; Jewish community spokesperson says initiative launched after international observer left city is a provocation

By Jacob Magid

February 11, 2019, 2:56 pm

Palestinian suspect in brutal rape, murder of teen Ori Ansbacher remanded

Court orders Arafat Irfaiya kept behind bars for additional 10 days; rape allegation had been under wraps because of gag order

By Jacob Magid

February 10, 2019, 8:44 pm

Shin Bet: Murder of Israeli teen Ori Ansbacher was a terror attack

While politicians quickly deemed killing terrorism, security service waits until after Palestinian suspect reenacted crime before making call

By Jacob Magid