Day 487 - Annexation? Saudi normalization? What's on the table in DC

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.


Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda
Borschel-Dan for today's episode.


Eight were wounded, two critically, in the shooting attack at an
army checkpoint near the northern West Bank village of Tayasir
this morning. Horovitz updates on what we knew about the attack
at recording time. Sadly, two soldiers' deaths were subsequently
announced.


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently in Washington, DC,
and set to meet with US President Donald Trump today. Yesterday,
reporters were given mixed signals surrounding the president's
willingness to see Israel annex the West Bank. Horovitz explains.


Amid mounting talk of a peace deal between Saudi Arabia and
Israel, posters of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman shaking
hands with Trump against the backdrop of an Israeli flag were
unveiled in Jerusalem and other cities across Israel with the
message, “Israel is Ready.” Is it?


Amid the expected restart of negotiations for the second phase of
the hostage release-ceasefire deal, Netanyahu appears to be
heading toward some personnel changes on his team. Who may be in
-- and who is out?


Finally, Justice Minister Yariv Levin declined Monday to sign the
official announcement of the appointment of Justice Isaac Amit as
the new president of the Supreme Court in the state gazette.
While one may call this "petty politics," Horovitz warns that
there are very serious repercussions for this type of behavior.


Please see today's ongoing live blog for more
updates.


Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple
Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your
podcasts. This episode was produced by the Pod-Waves.


For further reading:


2 soldiers killed, 8 hurt in shooting attack at IDF
checkpoint in northern West Bank


Asked about West Bank annexation, Trump says Israel ‘a
small country, in terms of land’


Billboard campaign proclaims ‘Israel is ready’ for Saudi
normalization


Levin declines to sign official announcement of new
Supreme Court president


IMAGE: President Donald Trump speaks during a ceremony with the
Florida Panthers NHL hockey team to celebrate their 2024 Stanley
Cup victory in the East Room of the White House, February 3,
2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)


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