US ceasefire bid vetoed at UN * Top rabbi: Gaza’s plight, distrust of PM make Israel-support harder for US Jews * Lizzy Savetsky’s activism * Unlikely comedian advocate

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Friday, March 22, 2024 Presented by [Tel Aviv University – Lowy International School]( Live updates [LIVE: Russia, China veto US resolution at UN calling for Gaza ceasefire tied to hostage deal]( By ToI Staff US proposal called for truce of around 6 weeks * PM says he told Blinken that Israel must go into Rafah, will do so without US support if necessary * IDF: Some 150 gunmen killed at Shifa Hospital [Poll: Most Americans say Israel’s war is valid, but only 38% approve of conduct]( By Jacob Magid and ToI Staff Pew survey shows 34% in US disapprove of IDF handling of war; 73% say Hamas’s October 7 attack was unacceptable; among Jews, 89% back Israel’s resort to war, 62% support handling [Dermer: Israel will enter Rafah ‘even if entire world turns on us, including the US’]( By DAN WILLIAMS [Top US rabbi says Gaza’s plight, distrust of PM make Israel-support harder for US Jews]( By Canaan Lidor Heartfelt comments by Rabbi Angela Warnick Buchdahl of Central Synagogue NYC at a Jewish peoplehood conference trigger criticism amid concerns for inter-communal and bilateral ties [‘So dangerous’: US Jews push back against Trump’s latest rhetoric on disloyalty]( By AP and ToI Staff [UK’s Cameron: Israel obstructing flow of aid into Gaza, closing crossing on Shabbat]( By ToI Staff Promoted Article [Tel Aviv University’s New Academic Integration Tracks Welcome Olim]( TAU partners with Israel Student Authority to launch new degree options for recent immigrants [Mossad chief heads to Doha as US said to pressure mediators to speed up hostage talks]( By AP, Reuters and ToI Staff Blinken meets Arab FMs in Cairo, set to attend Israeli war cabinet session; says ‘gaps are narrowing’ on truce deal [During Cairo visit, Blinken says ‘progress’ made on Israel-Saudi normalization]( By Agencies and ToI Staff Analysis Ron Kampeas [Netanyahu is unpopular at home. But not for the reasons US lawmakers are turning on him]( Most Israelis support their PM’s overarching goals in Gaza over Biden’s, but they don’t necessarily agree with the way he is pursuing victory, and some want early elections [Schumer suggests he’s on board with proposal for Netanyahu to address Congress]( By Jacob Magid [Sara Netanyahu denies complaining that freed hostages ‘didn’t even thank us’]( By ToI Staff Top Ops Mijal Bitton [US Jewry can look to Esther as a role model]( America is not Haman’s Shushan, with its decree against the Jewish people, but that doesn’t mean there’s no assault on Jews and Judaism Erica Brown [Purim offers 4 ways to heal the wounds of war – when the time is right]( The best antidote to hate is gifts of affection, even when the tangerines are old and the licorice stale [7 Israelis hurt in hours-long clashes with terrorist in West Bank; airstrike kills him]( By Emanuel Fabian Palestinian gunman opened fire at minibus near settlement of Dolev in the early morning hours; amid manhunt, he engaged in gunbattle with troops before being killed [120,000 Muslims worship at Al-Aqsa as 2nd Friday Ramadan prayers pass peacefully]( By ToI Staff Police deploy thousands of officers in Jerusalem’s Old City and around Temple Mount, say no ‘unusual disturbances,’ despite seeing attempts to incite violence on social media [Those We Have Lost]( [Those We Have Lost]( [Civilians and soldiers who have fallen since Oct. 7]( [Read Here]( [IDF: ‘Very significant’ Hamas commanders among 650 nabbed at Gaza’s Shifa hospital]( By Emanuel Fabian and ToI Staff Top PIJ operatives also captured in ongoing raid at Strip’s largest medical complex; military releases drone footage of Hamas gunman waiting to ambush troops in Khan Younis [Report: Assassination of top Hamas commander likely aided by US eavesdropping]( By ToI Staff [Washington aims to complete Gaza pier to enable maritime aid by May 1, says official]( By Reuters and ToI Staff [CRM]( ToI podcast [What Matters Now to Haviv Rettig Gur: Is Netanyahu an obstacle to victory?]( By Amanda Borschel-Dan and Haviv Rettig Gur ToI’s senior analyst on how the world worries Netanyahu won’t bring peace; Israelis worry he won’t win the war Interview [Modern-day ‘Queen Esther’ Lizzy Savetsky gets real about her Israel activism]( By Jordana Horn The social media star, former beauty queen, New York socialite and proud Zionist talks about her nonstop work and how she’s learned to drop the haters and empower fellow Jews [Praying for hostages and soldiers, mass recitation of Shema held at Western Wall]( By Jessica Steinberg and ToI Staff Thousands worldwide join live Fast of Esther broadcast, together with hundreds at the Wall, to pray for hostages’ return; relatives, Gaza-envelope residents, Sara Netanyahu attend [ToI podcast / Daily Briefing Mar. 22: Day 168 – Kotel prayer for hostages; US rabbi says support is hard]( By ToI Staff Interview [Comedian-turned-unlikely advocate for Israel is heading back to the Jewish state]( By Amy Spiro Daniel-Ryan Spaulding, a non-Jewish gay stand-up comic, will be performing shows in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem following months of using his platform to speak out against antisemitism [Israel appropriates 1,976 acres of land in Jordan Valley, declaring it state land]( By ToI Staff and AFP Announcement follows West Bank settlement expansion earlier in March; new status will allow for hundreds of housing units to be constructed in addition to commerce zones [High Court petitioned to order demolition of outpost founded by US-sanctioned settler]( By Jeremy Sharon [Business leader says Israel needs Palestinian workers]( By AFP and ToI Staff [Those We Are Missing]( [The hostages and victims whose fate is still unknown]( [Read Here]( Interview Sam Sokol [National Unity’s Kahana: We’re not using Haredi draft to try and bring down coalition]( But lawmaker insists the ultra-Orthodox must do national service, and doubles down on criticism of ‘worst government’ in Israeli history [Interview / Likud’s Danon dismisses Sa’ar as serious rival to Netanyahu, calls to push into Rafah]( By Sam Sokol [Condemning ‘messianic’ politics, Yair Golan pledges to ‘unify all leftist parties’]( By Sam Sokol [At culinary festival, chefs focus on home cooking under shadow of war]( By Jessica Steinberg Israeli Cuisine Festival, rescheduled to end of March from November, brings diners to favorite restaurants, markets and kitchens for home-cooked meals [Day 168 – Kotel prayer for hostages; US rabbi says support is hard]( [listen to the podcast]( [‘No other choice’: Northern border towns predict war with Hezbollah]( By AFP and ToI Staff Residents fear cross-border assault by terror group; security official in one town says ‘everything changed’ after October 7, ‘because we understood invasion is really a threat’ [IDF jets strike Hezbollah cell in south Lebanon after projectiles hit northern town]( By Emanuel Fabian and ToI Staff [Houthis agree to ensure safe passage for Chinese, Russian ships in Red Sea — report]( By ToI Staff More Headlines [Israeli conductor Bar Avni wins women’s international competition in Paris]( By Andrew M. Rosemarine [Obituary / Martin Greenfield, Auschwitz survivor and master tailor to US presidents, dies at 95]( By Andrew Silow-Carroll [‘Be quiet:’ Israel summons Turkish envoy after Erdogan threatens Netanyahu]( [Israel crashes out of Euro 2024 soccer qualification with 1-4 loss to Iceland]( By AFP [US Jewish history museum may join Smithsonian, 4 years after bankruptcy]( By Ron Kampeas [Extremist Haredi rabbi: Army service leads to secularization, is ‘worse than death’]( By Sam Sokol [In Iran, Baha’i minority faces persecution even after death]( By Stuart Williams [Pakistani court sentences woman to life in prison for burning pages from Quran]( By AP [The daily edition]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [View in browser]( [Contact support](mailto:support@timesofisrael.com) [Advertise with us](mailto:advertise@timesofisrael.com) Were you forwarded this email? [Subscribe here]( [Unsubscribe]( from this List © 2024 The Times Of Israel, All Rights Reserved