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 reporter Sam Sokol and reporter Sue Surkes join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Dozens of people protested outside the Knesset in Jerusalem today, calling on the government to quit and call new elections. There’s been some disorder inside the Knesset recently as well, starting with a much-leaked cabinet meeting on Thursday evening following the IDF’s announcement that the IDF would begin investigating itself and what led to the Oct. 7 disaster. In light of huge amount of leaks from the meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a proposal during yesterday’s cabinet meeting. Sokol explains.

Despite the recent surge in attacks and harassment against Diaspora Jews, Israel’s diplomatic service has no money to combat antisemitism abroad, the head of the Foreign Ministry’s Department for Combating Antisemitism claimed on Wednesday. Why is this a problem?

For the past seven weeks, a team of experts in artifact documentation and preservation have been sifting through the detritus of October 7 to find objects that can testify to that terrible day. Among the items the team has collected is a donkey skull. Surkes tells us about this project, that object in particular and what the experts are seeking.

While Surkes was in the Gaza envelope, she noted several groups who were making a pilgrimage to the devastation. What were some of their motivations?

A group of soldiers long since released from the army and a collection of tanks no longer in use have been brought together to create Phoenix, a new armored tank battalion that is already seeing action in Gaza. We hear more.

For the latest updates, please look at The Times of Israel’s ongoing live blog.

Discussed articles include:

Live blog January 8, 2024

Police disperse protesters blocking Knesset entrance in demand for ‘elections now’

Railing against cabinet leaks, Netanyahu calls to subject ministers to polygraph tests

As cracks widen in coalition, National Unity members skip cabinet meeting

Foreign Ministry says it has ‘zero budget’ for combating antisemitism abroad

Under expert eyes, objects retrieved from rubble help document October 7’s horrors

Kibbutz Kfar Aza, devastated on October 7, becomes a grim place of pilgrimage

Fixing up old tanks and recruiting old reservists, a tech VP creates a new battalion

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

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on iTunes, Spotify, PlayerFM, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts.

ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE: Pro-Palestinian supporters hold up signs during a demonstration, October 20, 2023, in Atlanta, that intimate that the Hamas massacre of 1,200 people on October 7, 2023, was legitimate resistance to 'occupation.' (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

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 reporter Sam Sokol and reporter Sue Surkes join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.
Dozens of people protested outside the Knesset in Jerusalem today, calling on the government to quit and call new elections. There’s been some disorder inside the Knesset recently as well, starting with a much-leaked cabinet meeting on Thursday evening following the IDF’s announcement that the IDF would begin investigating itself and what led to the Oct. 7 disaster. In light of huge amount of leaks from the meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a proposal during yesterday’s cabinet meeting. Sokol explains.
Despite the recent surge in attacks and harassment against Diaspora Jews, Israel’s diplomatic service has no money to combat antisemitism abroad, the head of the Foreign Ministry’s Department for Combating Antisemitism claimed on Wednesday. Why is this a problem?
For the past seven weeks, a team of experts in artifact documentation and preservation have been sifting through the detritus of October 7 to find objects that can testify to that terrible day. Among the items the team has collected is a donkey skull. Surkes tells us about this project, that object in particular and what the experts are seeking.
While Surkes was in the Gaza envelope, she noted several groups who were making a pilgrimage to the devastation. What were some of their motivations?
A group of soldiers long since released from the army and a collection of tanks no longer in use have been brought together to create Phoenix, a new armored tank battalion that is already seeing action in Gaza. We hear more.
For the latest updates, please look at The Times of Israel’s <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-january-8-2024/">ongoing live blog.</a>
Discussed articles include:
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-january-8-2024/">Live blog January 8, 2024</a>
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-disperse-protesters-blocking-knesset-entrance-in-demand-for-elections-now/">Police disperse protesters blocking Knesset entrance in demand for ‘elections now’</a>
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/railing-against-cabinet-leaks-netanyahu-calls-to-subject-ministers-to-polygraph-tests/">Railing against cabinet leaks, Netanyahu calls to subject ministers to polygraph tests</a>
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-cracks-widen-in-coalition-national-unity-members-skip-cabinet-meeting/">As cracks widen in coalition, National Unity members skip cabinet meeting</a>
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/foreign-ministry-says-it-has-zero-budget-for-combating-antisemitism-abroad/">Foreign Ministry says it has ‘zero budget’ for combating antisemitism abroad</a>
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/under-expert-eyes-objects-retrieved-from-rubble-help-document-october-7s-horrors/">Under expert eyes, objects retrieved from rubble help document October 7’s horrors</a>
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/kibbutz-kfar-aza-devastated-on-october-7-becomes-a-grim-place-of-pilgrimage/">Kibbutz Kfar Aza, devastated on October 7, becomes a grim place of pilgrimage</a>
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/fixing-up-old-tanks-and-recruiting-old-reservists-a-tech-vp-creates-a-new-battalion/">Fixing up old tanks and recruiting old reservists, a tech VP creates a new battalion</a>
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/collection/those-we-have-lost/">THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Ci</a><a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/collection/those-we-have-lost/">vilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel</a>
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/collection/those-we-are-missing/">THOSE WE ARE MISSING: </a><a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/collection/those-we-are-missing/">The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown</a>
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-times-of-israel-daily-briefing/id1547404042"> iTunes</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1vhvFPvN0fFn5YRHCEcxrn">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://player.fm/series/the-times-of-israel-daily-briefing">PlayerFM, </a><a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9vbW55LmZtL3Nob3dzL3RoZS1kYWlseS1icmllZmluZy9wbGF5bGlzdHMvcG9kY2FzdC5yc3M=">Google Play</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts.
ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE: Pro-Palestinian supporters hold up signs during a demonstration, October 20, 2023, in Atlanta, that intimate that the Hamas massacre of 1,200 people on October 7, 2023, was legitimate resistance to 'occupation.' (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Welcome to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing: Your update on what’s important in Israel, the Middle East and The Jewish World.

Welcome to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing: Your update on what&rsquo;s important in Israel, the Middle East and The Jewish World.