Police said to use NSO spyware on civilians; top cop: not against anti-Netanyahu activists * Multifaith crowd in Texas vigil * 4th dose ’not good enough’ against Omicron

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Tuesday, January 18, 2022 [Israel Police accused of using NSO spyware on civilians for years without oversight]( By [Michael Bachner]( [Exposé alleges infamous Pegasus tool secretly used to track anti-Netanyahu protesters, mayors and non-suspects, exploiting legal loophole; police, firm don’t explicitly deny claim]( Live updates [Police chief does not deny using NSO spyware on Israelis, says it was ‘approved’]( By [Amy Spiro]( [In response to bombshell report, Kobi Shabtai denies using Pegasus software against anti-Netanyahu activists or other ‘innocent citizens,’ says its usage is highly regulated]( [1,000-strong multifaith crowd rallies around Jewish community at post-standoff vigil]( By [Jacob Magid]( [Congregation Beth Israel in Texas begins to heal with support from Christian and Muslim neighbors, along with 24,000 watching online, overwhelming synagogue rabbi with emotion]( [Texas synagogue gunman was probed by UK’s MI5 in 2020 as possible terror threat]( By [AFP and AP]( [Texas rabbi: I threw a chair at the gunman, and we headed for the door]( By [Jacob Magid]( Analysis [Nathan Jeffay]( [Israeli study on 4th shots for COVID is bad news — but not as bad as it seems]( [Research dashes hopes that new boosters will deliver Omicron-proof protection, but they may still help the elderly and at-risk by reducing chances of serious illness]( [Israeli trial, world’s first, finds 4th dose ‘not good enough’ against Omicron]( By [TOI staff]( [Netanyahu reportedly agrees to ‘moral turpitude’ in potential plea deal]( By [TOI staff]( [Opposition leader denies he’s ‘announced’ agreement to clause that would bar him from public office; prosecutors said to remain doubtful deal can be reached before AG’s term ends]( [Not only turpitude: Host of issues could slow, even torpedo Netanyahu plea deal]( By [TOI staff]( [Netanyahu thanks fundraiser donors, skips Knesset session amid plea deal reports]( By [TOI staff]( Interview [Jacob Magid]( [Hostage: Attacker chose synagogue, thinking Jews powerful enough to free ‘sister’]( [Jeff Cohen recounts emotional moment he phoned family for what he thought would be last time; urges Jewish communities to take active shooter course, which helped save their lives]( [Disbelief in English town after local man takes hostages at Texas synagogue]( By [Paul Barker]( [COVID-era livestreamed service meant whole world could hear Texas synagogue attack]( By [Shira Hanau and PHILISSA CRAMER]( ToI podcast [TOI staff]( [Daily Briefing Jan. 18 – Colleyville attack plays into oldest antisemitic trope]( [US correspondent Jacob Magid reports from Texas; environment reporter Sue Surkes illuminates a new tree law for Tu Bishvat and a game-changing water purifier]( Reporter's notebook [Convinced they are also targets, Colleyville residents stand with Jewish neighbors]( By [Jacob Magid]( [‘That’s Texas people’: Residents of mostly Christian town quick to support Congregation Beth Israel, but don’t believe synagogue was specifically targeted by hostage-taker]( Top Ops [Ron Kronish]( [Tennis, Torah and Djokovic: The case of the great anti-vaxxer]( [The Serb champ’s transgression in trying to enter Australia unvaccinated was not just a legal breach, it was a moral offense: All he cared about was himself]( [Yirmiyahu Danzig]( [For African Hebrews, the deportation nightmare continues]( [In a decision that smacks of discrimination, Israel is set to expel 135 members of the community, most of whom were born here and have relatives that served in the IDF]( [Todd L. Pittinsky]( [Islamism meets inflation and Turkey teeters]( [The Western experts who can’t fathom Erdoğan’s ruinous fiscal policies should heed his emphatic, repeated explanation: He answers to a higher authority]( [Efraim Inbar]( [Biden could construct a new world order through détente with Russia]( [Such a scenario would give the US a leg up against China’s totalitarianism and expansionist aims, and bridge the age-old schism with Russia]( [Health boss says shortening isolation risky, with 500 serious cases]( By [Michael Bachner]( [Ministry chief Nachman Ash acknowledges quarantine was cut to 5 days mainly due to public pressure, says outbreak peak still a week away, hospitals ‘stretched to the limit’]( [Mandatory COVID quarantine to be shortened to 5 days]( By [TOI staff]( [Mass distribution of free rapid COVID tests to begin next week]( By [TOI staff]( [Coalition projects confidence amid fears of a break-up if Netanyahu leaves politics]( By [Carrie Keller-Lynn]( [‘This government will last,’ says Lapid amid speculation right-wing parties could unite; power struggle brewing in Likud as contenders eye top spot, Hanegbi joins race]( [Orthodox conscription bill knocked down by Knesset, as ministers plan new proposal]( By [Emanuel Fabian]( [Profile / How Islamist lawmaker Mansour Abbas has shaken up Israeli politics]( By [Tia Goldenberg]( [Israel successfully tests Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile system]( By [Judah Ari Gross]( [Defense Ministry says radar arrays detected incoming ‘target’ and two Arrow 3 interceptors were fired at it, destroying it; trial follows recent Iranian ballistic missile tests]( [Satellite images show damage to Abu Dhabi oil site following attack]( By [Jon Gambrell]( [UAE vows reprisals after 3 killed in attack by Yemeni rebels]( By [AFP]( [Bennett to Davos forum: Do not invest in ‘octopus of terror’ Iran]( By [Lazar Berman]( [As nuclear talks continue in Vienna, prime minister seeks to focus world attention on Iranian terror networks; highlights Israeli economic measures for Palestinians]( [Putin to host Iran’s Raisi in Moscow amid nuclear talks]( By [AFP]( [Iran says time for US to make ‘political decisions’ in nuclear talks]( By [AFP]( [How to navigate the Israeli property maze: Pointers and pitfalls for homebuyers]( By [David Brummer]( [With demand far outstripping supply, a little knowledge can go a long way in taking on the local residential real estate market]( [Israeli unemployment rate continues to dip]( By [TOI staff]( [CRM]( [US synagogues face tough COVID questions (again) as Omicron surges]( By [Ben Sales]( [Despite record-setting transmission rates, vaccines have been a game-changer compared to earlier in the pandemic — prompting congregations to implement wildly divergent strategies]( [Committee advances plans for new Jerusalem homes beyond Green Line]( By [Aaron Boxerman]( [Proposed neighborhood of Lower Aqueduct would include 1,465 units, with around half of the area in East Jerusalem]( [IDF finds problems, but no blame, in senior officer’s apparent fatal heart attack]( By [Judah Ari Gross]( [Following investigation, army chief calls for installation of defibrillators in every gym, better tracking of at-risk service members, routine exams for career officers]( [Widow of officer killed by friendly fire says no anger at soldier who shot him]( By [TOI staff]( [Afghan refugees saved by Israelis finally meet their rescuers]( By [TOI staff]( [87 Afghanis, part of larger group rescued in October in an effort led by IsraAID, reside in Albania as they await resettlement in Canada]( [Israel worked magic in cybersecurity. Can it do the same for climate tech?]( By [Shoshanna Solomon]( [Experts say Israel is late to the game but can still become a key player, as an opportunity worth many trillions may help save the planet; government seen moving in right direction]( [CRM]( More Headlines [Record number of organ transplants in 2021, as harvesting skills improve]( By [Stuart Winer]( [2 IDF commandos injured as grenade explodes in apparent training accident]( By [Judah Ari Gross]( [Absence of Jewish legacy at LA’s Academy Museum of Motion Pictures spurs outcry]( By [TOI staff]( [Chemical company’s expert in court case: Southern stream’s radiation not health risk]( By [Sue Surkes]( [New Knesset secretary approved despite reported opposition of coalition’s left flank]( By [TOI staff]( [Former soccer star signs plea deal in real estate corruption case]( By [TOI staff]( [Young woman feels blow at West Bank wedding, finds bullet in spine 3 months later]( By [Emanuel Fabian]( [France’s far-right presidential contender Zemmour convicted of hate speech]( By [Sylvie Corbet]( [Ring tones / Israeli pop star Noa Kirel releases latest single with Samsung]( By [Jessica Steinberg]( [Facebook threatens to delete page of pro-Israel UN watchdog chief]( By [Stuart Winer]( [Meat and pota-tours / On the cholent-and-kugel trail with tours of the Haredi ’tisch’]( By [Jessica Steinberg]( [Joss Whedon says Gal Gadot’s claim he threatened her career was misunderstanding]( By [Stuart Winer and TOI staff]( [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? 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