US visa waiver for Israelis * Riyadh setting aside Palestine state demand * 5 Bedouin shot dead * Unique New Testament discovery * Iran falsely claims Israel nuke threat

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Wednesday, September 27, 2023 Presented by [OurCrowd]( [US admits Israel into Visa Waiver Program, in major boost to bilateral ties]( By Jacob Magid and Lazar Berman Israelis will be able to travel to US visa-free in 2 months after the country meets all requirements, including easing restrictions on Palestinian-Americans [Saudis putting aside Arab Peace Initiative amid Israel normalization talks – officials]( By Jacob Magid Riyadh will continue to pay lip service to proposal conditioning peace with Israel on Palestinian state, but those involved in effort say kingdom ready to normalize ties for less [New Saudi envoy to PA said to cancel visit to Al Aqsa to avoid Palestinian backlash]( By Gianluca Pacchiani and ToI Staff [In first, Israeli minister leads official delegation to Saudi Arabia]( By Lazar Berman Haim Katz says tourism ‘a bridge between nations’ while attending UN World Tourism Organization event, as Jerusalem and Riyadh seem to edge closer to US-brokered normalization pact [ToI podcast / Daily Briefing Sept. 27: Saudi talks and the PA; Netanyahu talks tachlis with NY Jews]( By ToI Staff FROM OUR SPONSOR [Investing in AI: Meet the CEOs online this Thursday]( How can you invest in new AI technology? Join OurCrowd’s online event to find out how you can gain exclusive access to Israeli AI startup deals. Live updates [LIVE: Five shot to death in northern Bedouin town, as crime wave reaches bloody new apex]( By Joshua Davidovich Three men and two women gunned down in Basmat Tab’un, declared dead at scene; sixth victim moderately wounded; 188 violent slayings in Arab community since start of year [Saudi talks and the PA; Netanyahu talks tachlis with NY Jews]( [listen to the podcast]( Top Ops Orly Erez Likhovski [Yom Kippur and the fight for Israel’s soulÂ]( Israelis have been content for too long to let Orthodox Judaism define what is considered legitimate Jewish practice Noah Efron [There was magic too: Yom Kippur, Tel Aviv, 5784]( In Habima Square, hundreds joined a hastily organized Ne’ila prayer service with no divisions, just astonishment From the blogs Yossi Klein Halevi [The state of our brokenness]( Something elemental has been desecrated in our shared Israeliness, and Yom Kippur has again forced us to face ourselves [Pressure mounts on Ben Gvir to ‘lower the flames,’ call off Tel Aviv prayer rally]( By Michael Horovitz Many in coalition, including PM, urge minister to stay away following Yom Kippur clashes; Opposition Leader Lapid tells secular activists not to give him limelight by protesting [Ben Gvir, protesters plan rival Dizengoff prayer rallies, drawing broad rebuke]( By Canaan Lidor UNIQUE TRAVEL GUIDE [Introducing: ToI’s Hidden Gems]( By Sarah Tuttle-Singer Uncover Israel’s secret treasures with this insider’s guide around the country, composed by ToI staff. Exclusive to The Times of Israel Community. Archaeology [Unique Byzantine Psalm inscription in New Testament Greek discovered in Judean Desert]( By Gavriel Fiske First organized excavation at ruins of Hyrcania sheds light on King Herod’s forbidding fortress, where a small 5th-century monastic community waited out the region’s regime changes [Rare bronze mirror found in 2,300-year-old grave of Greek courtesan in Jerusalem]( By Gavriel Fiske Explainer Jeremy Sharon [Sequel to constitutional showdown pits government against court on PM recusal law]( Petitioners and attorney general argue that law blocking High Court from removing an incapacitated premier from office is unfit to be part of Israel’s constitutional arrangement [Knesset can’t allow court ‘to lead us into void,’ says minister ahead of key hearing]( By Jeremy Sharon [High Court: State must explain why it hasn’t disciplined Jerusalem chief rabbi]( By ToI Staff [Tehran accuses Netanyahu of threatening to nuke Iran in his General Assembly speech]( By Michael Bachner PM said Iran must face ‘credible nuclear threat,’ with his office quickly clarifying he misspoke; Iran UN envoy ignores this, condemns ‘alarming’ remark, warns of decisive response [US ‘open to diplomacy’ on nuclear program, wants to see de-escalatory steps from Iran]( By ToI Staff [Iranian leader said to okay direct talks with US on reviving nuke deal]( By ToI Staff [4 arrested during razing of illegal Israeli West Bank outpost, drawing settler outcry]( By Michael Horovitz Police say they’ll probe commander who told residents he’ll ‘rip you into eight [pieces]’ during scuffles; occupants decry move by government ‘elected with the votes of settlers’ [Canada’s House Speaker resigns after organizing ovation for ‘hero’ Nazi war veteran]( By Rob Gillies Anthony Rota steps down after meeting party leaders amid fury over his invite to veteran of Waffen-SS unit; Polish minister says he will seek 98-year-old’s extradition [Ohio high school football coach resigns after players use ‘Nazi’ in play calls]( By AP and JTA [Germany bans far-right group that tried to indoctrinate children with Nazi ideology]( By AP [At least 100 killed in Iraq after fire breaks out at wedding event hall]( By Agencies More than 150 injured in event in Iraqi town of Al-Hamdaniyah, in a predominantly Christian area in Nineveh province [Hezbollah journalist films self within touching distance of IDF tank on border]( By Gianluca Pacchiani ‘This tank will leave, while we children of this land will remain here,’ claims Ali Shoeib, as UN peacekeepers separating between Israeli and Lebanese forces appear to stand by [Israel strikes Hamas sites after border unrest leaves 11 Gazans wounded]( By Agencies and ToI Staff [Investment in Israeli tech firms drops 38%, but downward trend stabilizes – report]( By Sharon Wrobel Capital raised by Israeli companies in the third quarter declines by a moderate 14% compared with the second quarter, but is down 38% year-on-year, IVC-LeumiTechdata shows [Gallant heads to Berlin to sign $3.5 billion Arrow 3 air defense deal]( By Carrie Keller-Lynn Israel’s largest-ever defense contract was okayed in August by the US, which partnered with Israel Aerospace Industries to produce the anti-ballistic missile system [CRM]( More Headlines [Knesset panel okays Haredi education funds, gives limited nod to Arab towns’ budget]( By ToI Staff [Prisoner dies in Iran’s notorious Evin prison; US denies he was American]( By AFP and ToI Staff [At least 120 arrested as Tel Aviv soccer fans clash with cops ahead of rivalry match]( By ToI Staff [Judge rules Donald Trump defrauded banks, insurers while building real estate empire]( By Michael R. Sisak [Israeli teen drama about Holocaust trip to Poland nominated for International Emmy]( By Jessica Steinberg [Hip Brown hotel chain embarks on holy quest for Tel Aviv’s religious visitors]( By Jessica Steinberg [JPMorgan to pay $75 million over claims it enabled Jeffrey Epstein’s sex crimes]( By Ken Sweet [New US point person on tackling book bans is a longtime progressive Jewish leader]( By Andrew Lapin [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