Chief justice: Gov’t aims to crush judiciary, destroy democracy * IDF chief raps W. Bank plans * Ancient Rome’s concrete secret * In Iran’s shadow: Our man in Azerbaijan

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Friday, January 13, 2023 [In fiery speech, Hayut says judicial shakeup plan ‘fatal blow to Israeli democracy’]( By Jeremy Sharon In unprecedented address, Supreme Court president denounces planned government legal reform, says it will undermine judicial independence, hand legislative ‘blank check’ to Knesset [Levin accuses top judge of incitement following her speech blasting judicial remake]( By TOI staff [Ex-president Rivlin decries ‘takeover’ of judiciary, says still time for compromise]( By TOI staff Analysis David Horovitz [Constitutional crisis looms, as Supreme Court president shows she won’t go quietly]( Esther Hayut hits back at coalition’s moves to neuter judiciary, indicating she’ll try to strike down Yair Levin’s revolutionary legislation, rather than being struck down by it [Lawyers rally outside Tel Aviv court against ‘dangerous’ judicial overhaul]( By AFP [In farewell interviews, IDF chief denounces government’s West Bank plans]( By TOI staff Aviv Kohavi warns efforts to split control over parts of IDF will damage command, control and battle readiness; says stopping Iran nuke program remains main focus of military [UN secretary-general says settlements drive conflict, slams ‘unilateral initiatives’]( By Luke Tress [Two Palestinians shot dead amid clashes with Israeli forces near Jenin]( By Emanuel Fabian [Police say intel points to potential unrest at anti-government rallies this weekend]( By TOI staff Cops provide no details on ‘fear of riots’ during protests, but say no tolerance for ‘disturbance of the peace’ or Nazi symbols; organizers: Police are lying’; Gantz to attend Op-ed Shalom Yerushalmi [To succeed, anti-government protests need to draw religious moderates]( Criticism of the coalition’s radical policies is growing even among those who voted for it; organizers of Saturday’s demos must not alienate those vital potential supporters Archaeology [Still standing: Researchers crack the secret of ancient Rome’s self-healing concrete]( By Melanie Lidman Scientists have long wondered what made the material so durable. Now a new MIT study utilizing microarchaeology and infrared cameras gives insight into Herod’s enduring monuments [Israeli flight to Turkey delayed after plane crash photos sent to passengers’ phones]( By Michael Horovitz 10 passengers taken in for questioning by police; plane only takes off after luggage checked; similar incidents occurred on flights in May and November Top Ops Jessica Lauren Walton [Stigma in the security field]( That time I trusted a mentor with a personal secret, and immediately rued the day Leann Shamash [Mothers]( The love of a mother can mean taking in a child in crisis, and it can mean allowing your children to leave you behind for their own better lives (Shemot) Interview [For Israel’s ambassador to Azerbaijan, Iranian death threats are all in a day’s work]( By Robert Sarner When he began in 2019, George Deek was the first Christian Arab to represent the Jewish state. Now his host country will be the first Shi’ite state to open an embassy in Israel [Three teens killed, two people seriously wounded, in deadly crash in northern Israel]( By TOI staff Two declared dead at the scene of late-night collision between vehicles; third victim dies of wounds after being airlifted by IDF to a hospital [On first anniversary of Texas synagogue standoff, survivors cope, carry on]( By BOBBY ROSS Jr. Rabbi and three worshippers held hostage at Colleyville synagogue last year say their trauma has not disappeared, despite the FBI’s killing of their captor [Investigation finds ‘shocking’ antisemitism in UK’s student union]( By Ash Obel Probe reveals bullying of Jews, blood libels, conspiracy theories in National Union of Students; Board of Deputies charges group with ‘litany of failures’ [Thessaloniki Holocaust memorial vandalized for second time in weeks]( By AFP [Battling kids’ eye cancer in Nigeria, Israeli doctors introduce pinpointed chemo]( By Nathan Jeffay Week-long mission from Sheba Medical Center aims to teach local doctors to perform the complex procedure that spares patients the side effects of full body radiation Times Will Tell Jessica Steinberg [Podcast: Use it all, says slow food, fermenting chef at Jaffa’s award-winning OCD]( Jerusalem-raised Shalom Elbert started with schnitzel and kube before bread miso and Sprite-scented dehydrated lime at OCD, named for meticulous care put into nightly tasting menu [Israeli researchers able to build enzymes ‘like Lego,’ in potential boon for drugs]( By Nathan Jeffay Bold new technique at Weizmann Institute generates new enzymes with unprecedented scale, in possible boost to both chemical industry and development of medical treatments [A new translation of Franz Kafka’s diaries restores much of his Jewish musings]( By Andrew Lapin [Police accused of delaying visit by UK minister to Al-Aqsa mosque]( By TOI staff Lord Tariq Ahmad downplays hold-up at Jerusalem holy site after showing officers a picture of himself with Israeli FM to prove his identity [Vandalism discovered at Maronite Christian community center in north]( By Ash Obel [CRM]( [Bipartisan group of US senators visiting all 4 Abraham Accords countries]( By Jacob Magid Lawmakers take off for Israel, UAE, Bahrain and Morocco for talks with local officials aimed at strengthening agreements, bringing in more signatories [In phone call, EU’s Borrell invites new Israeli FM Cohen to visit Brussels]( By Lazar Berman and AFP More Headlines [Kibbutz member killed by suspected lightning strike while out walking dog]( By TOI staff [Russia claims to have taken town of Soledar after bloody fight in east Ukraine]( By ANDREW MELDRUM [Merrick Garland appoints special counsel to investigate Biden’s classified docs]( By Zeke Miller and Eric Tucker [Iran’s FM says talks with Saudis could restore relations]( By AP [Police arrest member of anti-Zionist sect for meeting terror operatives in Jenin]( By Emanuel Fabian [Three arrested for alleged armed robbery of Beitar Jerusalem owner]( By Michael Horovitz [Drivers fired by PM’s office reinstated, but won’t ferry Netanyahu]( By Ash Obel [Maccabi Tel Aviv fans booted from volleyball game for throwing flares on to field]( By Michael Horovitz [US government examining hundreds of unexplained ‘UFO’ reports]( By AFP [IDF to punish several officers for negligence after mass theft of ammo from base]( By Emanuel Fabian [The best of times / Progressive metal band Dream Theater to play in Tel Aviv]( By David Sedley [Obituary / Lisa Marie Presley, singer and daughter of Elvis, dies at 54]( By KRISTIN M. HALL and Hillel Italie [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 © 2023 The Times Of Israel, All Rights Reserved