ToI’s weekly deep dive: Israeli protesters inspired by Gandhi * ToI speaks with a Syrian rebel * Et tu, Germany? How academic boycotts spread * Podcast: Haviv Rettig Gur

[Times of Israel]( [Weekly Deep Dive]( Sunday, December 8, 2024 Interview [Syrian rebel commander urges Israel to support uprising, strike Iran-backed forces]( By Gianluca Pacchiani In interview with ToI, a Free Syrian Army officer expresses hope for friendly relations with Jewish state, warns of Iranian militias propping up Assad: ‘They will come for Israel, too’ Military [IDF deploys in Golan buffer zone with Syria, girding for post-Assad regime chaos]( By Emanuel Fabian, ToI Staff and Agencies Israel takes up posts in area for the first time since 1974; IDF said to strike chemical weapons sites in Damascus and Hezbollah convoy fleeing to Lebanon [More combat engineers, mechanized infantry: IDF Ground Forces lays out future plans]( By Emanuel Fabian [Military establishes 1st Air Force technicians unit for ultra-Orthodox men]( By Emanuel Fabian Op-ed David Horovitz [Why you should be worried for Israeli democracy]( The coalition is moving to centralize ever more authority in Netanyahu’s hands – at the expense of gatekeepers including the legal system, police, Shin Bet and free press [Poll: 60% pessimistic about the future of democratic governance in Israel]( By Sam Sokol Inside Story Jacob Magid [Trump nominations set stage for fresh clash between annexation, normalization backers]( US president-elect returns to office with plans to expand Abraham Accords, but those pushing for Israel to annex West Bank are still bullish about doing so over next four years [Exclusive / Trump aides asked Qatar to recall ousted Hamas chiefs in bid to revive hostage talks]( By Jacob Magid [Trump warns there will be ‘all hell to pay’ if hostages aren’t released by Jan. 20]( By Jacob Magid [‘Predetermined conclusions’: Amnesty Israel workers slam parent group’s ‘genocide’ charge]( By Jeremy Sharon, Jacob Magid and ToI Staff Analysis [Defeat of Knesset resolution on AG hints at limits of support for her ouster]( By Sam Sokol Knesset votes against holding a debate on firing Gali Baharav-Miara, even as Communications Minister Karhi works to mobilize cabinet to push her out [Attorney general says state commission needed urgently to probe October 7]( By ToI Staff Top Ops Debra Weiner-Solomont [Words no army parent wants to hear: ‘Get to the hospital now’]( My son has a hard road ahead, but his deep friendships and our new support network have already worked wonders toward healing Nathan Lopes Cardozo [Judaism without God]( Those without faith must learn and live the commandments as a revolution, as a protest to the commonplace, as an act of defiance Amos Yadlin [Syria: Better the devil we don’t know]( Assad massacred half a million of his own people. It’s time to see how others try to stabilize the country – as long as they reduce interference by Iran Ely Karmon [Why I just subscribed to Haaretz]( The government’s multi-pronged assault on the independence of Israel’s news media takes a page out of the authoritarian playbook Interview [Former minister talks ‘deep crisis’ in education and how Israel can dig itself out]( By Gavriel Fiske Rabbi Shai Piron, in new role as president of the Israel Professional College in Jerusalem, stresses importance of vocational training in the 21st century job market [Steep decline in Israeli students’ international math and science test scores]( By Gavriel Fiske Diaspora [German cancelation of Israeli professor’s talk highlights widening academic boycotts]( By Zev Stub Even as University of Leipzig presents decision to nix lecture by historian Benny Morris as security-related, some view it as capitulation to BDS in a relatively friendly country [264-year-old Montreal Jewish community fears antisemitism becoming the new normal]( By Robert Sarner [Anti-Jewish attacks in Australia quadrupled after October 7, report finds]( By Zev Stub [Israel prepares to honor Diaspora victims of antisemitic attacks]( By Zev Stub [Those We Have Lost]( [Those We Have Lost]( [Stories of civilians and soldiers killed in Hamas's onslaught on Israel]( [Read Here]( Reporter's notebook [Inspired by Gandhi, white-clad hostage mothers silently scream in protest]( By Jessica Steinberg [Hezbollah killed his son. Now he’s suing Iran for him – and 133 other American victims]( By Cathryn J. Prince This month, the Balva family and US attorney Jonathan Missner filed a suit against the Islamic Republic for funding the terror group that killed US citizen Sgt. 1st Class Omer Balva [US Supreme Court to decide if PA, PLO can be sued in US over Mideast terror attacks]( By Mark Sherman ToI podcast [What Matters Now to Haviv Rettig Gur: Iran’s solution for the Jewish state problem]( By ToI Staff Responding to an op-ed by Iran’s vice president for strategic affairs, ToI senior analyst says now is the time for the West to unite against a weak Islamic Republic [Israel Story / Wartime Diaries: Robbie Gringras]( [ToI podcast / Daily Briefing Dec. 6: Day 427 – As Pope floats ‘genocide,’ a dive into Catholic-Jewish ties]( By ToI Staff Toi investigates [Huge post-October 7 giving boom from overseas brings hope to battered frontlines]( By Sue Surkes With no shortage of organizations trying to help, big philanthropic bodies say they’re working in coordination, each filling a different role, while letting local communities lead [Reporter's notebook / Residents returning to Israel’s decimated far north worry their neighbors won’t come home]( By Diana Bletter Culture [As Jews continue to digest October 7, anthologies offer a buffet of food for thought]( By Jessica Steinberg Female-powered collections explore life in the US and antisemitism, provide succor and hope with prayers and poems, and retell the stories of heroic Jewish women [Museum buys artist’s work after she shut Venice Biennale exhibit in call for hostage deal]( By Jessica Steinberg [Franz Kafka’s papers metamorphose into National Library exhibit]( By Jessica Steinberg [CRM]( Interview [He wrote the history of Jews in comics. Now he’s making Jewish comics history]( By Jay Deitcher Environment [Israel to get 1st facility to recycle organic waste, produce gas and fertilizer]( By Sue Surkes Discount Bank, environment ministry to fund plant near Gaza border that will use sealed containers of microbes to break down 200 tons of household and agricultural waste annually [Ministries working to get country’s 1st food security plan ready by end of April]( By Sue Surkes Health [Israeli researchers discover gene mutation in Ashkenazi Jews that can cause autism]( By Diana Bletter One in 80 Ashkenazi Jews carry the TBCB gene; Israelis can now test for it as part of the Health Ministry national healthcare basket Economy [As foreign airlines lay low during war, a new carrier is a boon for grounded Israelis]( By Sharon Wrobel Air Haifa took off in the middle of Israel’s ongoing conflict with flights to Larnaca, as the Cypriot airport becomes a hub for Israelis trying to reach the US and Europe [Fueled by fear and fraternity, foreigners start buying up Israeli homes, just in case]( By Shoshanna Solomon Archaeology [In a watery Golan cave, Herod’s great-grandson entertained in the Roman imperial style]( By Gavriel Fiske An altar dedicated to the cult of Pan was likely converted to a banquet area by Herodian ruler Agrippa II, aligning with the account of Josephus, new research shows [Ming leftovers / Mount Zion dig unearths 16th century Chinese porcelain bowl fragment]( By Gavriel Fiske From the blogs [Melbourne 2024: Jews, wake up and smell the smoke!]( By Rachelli Prawer Our enemies know the power of fire and the national memories it evokes, but we are no longer exiled and defenseless – we have a refuge [Weekly Deep Dive]( [facebook]( [twitter]( [instagram]( [View in browser]( [Contact support](mailto:support@timesofisrael.com) [Advertise with us](mailto:advertise@timesofisrael.com) Were you forwarded this email? 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