Day 543 - PM questioned on Qatargate; proof of biblical Armageddon?

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.

Legal reporter Jeremy Sharon and archaeology reporter Rossella Tercatin join host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused police of holding two aides “hostage” after they were arrested over their alleged engagement in illicit ties with Qatar while working for the premier, who interrupted his ongoing corruption trial to provide testimony in the controversial Qatargate investigation. Sharon delves into the latest developments.

The High Court of Justice ruled unanimously on Thursday that Israel has taken a variety of steps to provide for the humanitarian needs of Gaza’s civilian population during the current war with Hamas, and that there was no cause for the court to order the government and the army to take any additional action. We hear why this ruling is important in the context of other accusations against Israel on the international stage.

The IDF issued a statement on Monday night announcing that it had disciplined several officers and troops for vandalizing Palestinian property in Jinba after an investigation it conducted into the incident. Villagers claim that troops had stood by while the settler extremists attacked residents and prevented a Red Crescent ambulance from evacuating the wounded. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir went to Jinba himself to investigate the incident on Sunday, as did Sharon. He reports back.

Almost one in four US adults who were raised Jewish no longer identify as such, a new report by the prominent Pew Research Center released on Wednesday has shown. The report focuses on the phenomenon of “switching religions” around the world, and it is based on data obtained by polling almost 37,000 Americans and over 41,000 individuals in 35 other countries, including Israel. Tercatin gives highlights.

For the first time, a team of Israeli archaeologists has uncovered ancient artifacts at northern Israel’s “Armageddon” site that might offer proof of an epic battle documented in the books of Kings II and Chronicles between a king of Judah and an Egyptian pharaoh. We hear how the old adage "an army marches on its stomach" may give us insight into this historical battle.

Please see today's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

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

For further reading:

Netanyahu says his two aides ‘being held hostage’ in Qatargate ‘witch hunt’

High Court says petitioners ‘not even close’ to showing Israel starving Gazan civilians

‘There’s no justice’: Palestinian villagers reel after brutal settler, IDF rampage

Pew Research Center survey: A quarter of US adults raised Jewish no longer identify as Jews

Archaeologists find first evidence of epic biblical battle at ‘Armageddon’

IMAGE: People protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government outside the Knesset, Israel's parliament in Jerusalem, March 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.