Al-Monitor Daily Briefing: IDF latest mission: saving Bnei Brak, Israel's most overcrowded city

If you have trouble reading this email, [view it in a browser](. [logo]( [fb_icon]( [twitter_icon]( EDITOR'S PICKS Friday, April 3 | Daily Briefing [By: Ben Caspit on Friday, Apr. 3, 2020]( Israel 1 [IDF latest mission: saving Bnei Brak, Israel's most overcrowded city]( With rabbis and residents disobeying instructions over the coronavirus, Israeli paratroops were dispatched to the town of Bnei Brak to restrict entry and exit. Gulf 2 [How COVID-19 will change GCC labor markets]( A siren is blaring for local labor markets as the global pandemic and falling oil revenues begin to upend the Gulf states' economies. Washington 3 [Families of Americans detained abroad want more US government attention, study finds]( An analysis of US hostage policy found that efforts to free Americans wrongfully detained abroad are hampered by unclear policies and confusion. Israel 4 [Israel’s defense minister rises to the COVID-19 threat]( In taking action to combat the coronavirus outbreak in Israel, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett has shown that he can be creative, determined and effective in using the military’s human and technological capabilities. Washington 5 [Intel: Iran sanctions debate highlights fissure between Democratic hawks, progressives]( The debate over how to respond to President Donald Trump’s sanctions regime against Iran in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic is creating a fissure between the hawkish and the left wings of the Democratic party. Culture 6 [Most vulnerable still exposed to virus on Istanbul's deserted streets]( Some of Istanbul's most vulnerable people, including Syrian child refugees, are still out on the streets day and night, braving the pandemic to earn a living. Iran 7 [Can Iran's president turn around its economy?]( Iran's economic plight — compounded by US sanctions, low oil prices and COVID-19 — depends on risky and difficult reforms for a turnaround. Washington 8 [Intel: Soleimani’s successor visits Iraq, then Trump tweets warning to Iran]( President Donald Trump took to Twitter on Wednesday to warn Iran against further attacks on US forces in Iraq — the same day that Iraqi officials told the Associated Press that the new head of the Quds Force had recently visited Baghdad. Culture 9 [Facing the music of the Holocaust in Turkey]( Turkey has long claimed that it has saved many Jews twice in history, but how true is that? 10 [Saudi Arabia to pay some private sector salaries amid coronavirus fallout]( Riyadh has announced it will cover a portion of private sector salaries in the industries most impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Israel 11 [What can we learn from the left's disappointment in Gantz?]( The left-wing camp is disappointed after perceiving Blue and White leader Benny Gantz as a 2020 model of late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Palestine 12 [COVID-19 expenses upending PA budget formulation]( As the PA struggles to cope with an ongoing financial crisis, the novel coronavirus is making things worse. STAY CONNECTED [fb_icon_footer]( [twitter_icon_footer]( [instagram_icon_footer]( [rss_icon_footer]( CONTACT US [Support & Contact]( [Advertise](mailto:advertise@al-monitor.com) NEWSLETTERS [Subscribe]( TERMS OF USE [Visitor Agreement]( [Privacy Policy]( © 2020 Al-Monitor. All Rights Reserved. If you no longer wish to receive these emails you may [unsubscribe or manage your preferences]( at any time. Al-Monitor · 1850 K St NW · Suite 1225 · Washington, DC 20006 · USA