Day 459 - Will new law bring airlines back to Israel's skies?

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.


Arab Affairs correspondent Gianluca Pacchiani
and Tech Editor Sharon Wrobel join host
Jessica Steinberg on today's show.


Pacchiani discusses the latest with the Hamas list of proposed
hostages that would include some 34 living captives out of the
remaining 100 hostages left in Gaza, as Hamas asks for greater
numbers of prisoners in a hostage exchange.


Pacchiani also reviews the status of Hezbollah in Lebanon as the
60-day ceasefire with Israel draws to an end, the opportunity for
Hezbollah to rest and prepare for a possible renewal of fighting
and what it all means for the balance of power in Lebanon's
complicated political mosaic.


Wrobel talks about comments made by the Bank of Israel governor
at the start of the new year, with some cautious optimism for the
Israeli economy and a look at the costs borne by the country for
the ongoing war.


She also discusses the emergency grants offered to evacuated
families from Israel's north. To take advantage of the financial
packages, families must return home by March 2025.


Wrobel dives into consumer legislation being considered by the
government to cancel flight compensation for passengers, as part
of an effort to ease the financial costs to airlines and help
bring foreign airlines back to Israeli skies.


For news updates, please check out The Times of Israel’s
ongoing live blog.


Discussed articles include:


Israeli negotiators head to Qatar amid some reported
progress in hostage talks


Central bank sees economy improving but warns of
continued geopolitical uncertainty


Israel lays out NIS 3.4 billion plan to get northerners
back home in March


Israel to cut travelers’ flight cancellation compensation
to woo back foreign airlines


Who’s afraid of the Houthis? Iran’s last proxy standing
is proving no pushover for Israel


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podcasts. This episode was produced by Nomi Studios.


IMAGE:  Watching planes take off at Ben Gurion International
Airport, August 26, 2024. (Photo by Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)


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