Day 536 - Govt, high court and AG face off on Shin Bet chief

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute
audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and
the Jewish world.


Legal reporter Jeremy Sharon and
archaeological and religions reporter Rossella
Tercatin join host Jessica Steinberg
for today's Daily Briefing.


Following the cabinet decision to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar,
various opposition political parties and legal organizations
filed petitions against the decision in Israel's High Court.
Sharon discusses the government's response to the petitions and
its stance that the court should not interfere in the decision to
fire Bar.


Sharon also reviews Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara's
reaction to the government decision and her view that the firing
will have implications for the functioning of law enforcement and
the Shin Bet in the future.


The Shin Bet is also conducting a covert probe into the
possible infiltration of extreme-right elements into the Israel
Police and Sharon discusses the existence of Kahanist elements in
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir's party that led to
the probe.


Tercatin looks at a recent archaeological discovery
that grapevines and olive trees may have once grown on the
land under the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, with evidence being
uncovered of agricultural tools, pottery, and new technologies
that can research pollen remains and seeds that relate to the
time of Jesus.


She also discusses a poll of high school teens from religous
Zionist high schools regarding sexual activity, leading to the
researcher's determination that there's a need for more openly
discussing sex with religious teens.


Please see today's ongoing liveblog for
more updates.


For further reading:


Government tells the High Court it can’t be forced to
work with Shin Bet chief it doesn’t trust


Report: Shin Bet covertly probed Kahanist infiltration
into police under Ben Gvir


Echoing Gospel account, traces of ancient garden found
under Church of Holy Sepulchre


Poll showing religious teens are sexually active sparks
rethink of when to have the talk


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podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.


IMAGE: Protestors march toward the Knesset on March 25, 2025,
holding a banner that reads, 'Guarding democracy' (Credit Yair
Palti/Pro-Democracy Protest Movement)


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