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 Ariela Karmel and religion and archaeology correspondent Rossella Tercatin join host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

As the Prime Minister's Office comes under fire for releasing official photos in which images of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara Netanyahu, have been heavily retouched, Karmel discusses the distortion of the historical record and possible breach of important ethical guidelines, and the involvement of the Government Press Office, which is seeking to resolve the issue.

A new version of a bill whose purpose is to extend Israeli authority over antiquities and heritage sites in the West Bank, and aims to include Areas A and B — where the Palestinian Authority has civilian control — has the local archaeology world in an uproar, reports Tercatin. The bill aims to extend the powers of the Israel Antiquities Authority, while some archaeologists say the bill would politicize archaeology and create professional problems for them globally.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Sara Netanyahu touches up official photos of herself, distorting archival record

New West Bank antiquity bill seeks to extend Israeli authority over Areas A and B

Archaeologists dig in against antiquities bill aiming to deepen Israel’s hold on West Bank

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Pod-Waves.

IMAGE: An image distributed by the Prime Minister's Office and apparently manipulated by Sara Netanyahu, showing her, center, and Benjamin Netanyahu at the Shul of Bal Harbour, Florida, on December 31, 2025. (Amos Ben-Gershom / GPO / Sara Netanyahu)

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