IDF chief: Army can only function in Jewish democratic state * Smotrich speaks in DC; hundreds protest * No ’get,’ death threats & rabbis * Lapid op-ed *Spielberg spurned

[Times of Israel]( [The daily edition]( Monday, March 13, 2023 Presented by [Americans for Ben Gurion University]( [IDF chief says military can only function in a ‘Jewish democratic state’]( By Emanuel Fabian Herzi Halevi walks back comment to reservists that ‘secure dictatorship is better than an unprotected anarchy,’ warns army won’t be able to act during a ‘disintegration of society’ [ToI podcast / Daily Briefing Mar. 13: IDF head’s corrected gaffe underscores conflicted military]( By ToI Staff [In US, Smotrich walks back Huwara remark, touts unity, as hundreds protest; 7 arrests]( By Jacob Magid Finance minister again says call to destroy Palestinian town ‘created a mistaken impression,’ claims to embrace Israelis of all types, as ex-pats and others rally outside DC hotel [Reporter's notebook / Overhaul or occupation? Smotrich trip dredges up Israeli-Diaspora rift at DC protest]( By Jacob Magid [Hundreds demonstrate in New York, London against Israeli judicial shakeup plan]( By Luke Tress and ToI Staff Live Updates [LIVE: Opposition leaders say they will boycott final votes on judicial overhaul]( By ToI Staff After meeting, Lapid, Gantz, Liberman and Michaeli reiterate no talks while government pushes ahead with legislation, call to formulate a ‘balanced’ constitution from our sponsor [Worried about Israel? Five options to consider]( Doug Seserman Israel’s founder and first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion famously said, “The test of democracy is freedom of criticism.” Read Doug Seserman’s post on the Israeli judicial reform. Inside story Amy Spiro [He was jailed for threats to kill his wife. A rabbinic court wants them to reconcile]( David* violated restraining order, was sent to prison for 8 months while refusing to grant his wife Lital* a divorce; yet Haifa rabbinical judges suggest they seek ‘shalom bayit’ [Woman shot dead in front of her children at their home in northern town]( By Michael Horovitz [Ministers delay by 6 months bill on electronic tagging of domestic violence offenders]( By Michael Bachner [Bill to shield Netanyahu from recusal cleared for plenum vote after fiery debate]( By Michael Bachner Special Knesset panel advances bid to prevent PM being forced aside over conflict of interest; opposition says bill would place PM ‘above the law’; 1st reading set for later Monday [Bill sharply curbing court’s powers to strike down laws said headed for Knesset vote]( By ToI Staff [Hearing for controversial E1 settlement project postponed once again]( By Jeremy Sharon From the blogs Yair Lapid [The deep democratic instinct of patriotic Israelis]( Together, we protect our democracy, our values, and ourselves from a government of bigots and extremists with unchecked power [Herzog pushes Rothman on judicial compromise; ex-AG warns Israel faces ostracization]( By Michael Horovitz and ToI Staff Lawmaker leading legislative push says he disagreed with president’s speech in which he blasted current bills, but door not closed on talks [Netanyahu swipes at AG: In a democracy, government is responsible for police, army]( By ToI Staff [Pro-Israel stalwart Miriam Adelson joins chorus criticizing judicial overhaul push]( By PHILISSA CRAMER [255 US investors warn Netanyahu overhaul may dampen cash infusions from abroad]( By ToI Staff Among signatories to letter are former US Treasury undersecretary Jeffrey Goldstein; missive says planned legislation will also make Israel harder to defend on international stage [Powerful labor union warns government of action if no judicial compromise reached]( By ToI Staff [Israel mutual fund withdrawals moderate, after public pulls NIS 8.5b in February]( By Sharon Wrobel Top Ops Shermeen Yousif [Iraq’s new online content regulation is a big step backward]( Freedom of expression is a basic human right, even when offensive, and blocking people from opining on social media violates it Barry Topf [The hidden economic costs of the judicial upheaval]( The damage of what may happen to harm the economy is nothing compared to the damage of all thing things that won’t happen [IDF head’s corrected gaffe underscores conflicted military]( [listen to the podcast]( [Spielberg’s personal movie ‘Fabelmans’ flops at the Oscars, despite 7 nominations]( By Andrew Lapin Dramatization of his upbringing loses out to multiverse ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’; Jewish producer of ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ sees movie take home four honors [‘Everything, everywhere’ all over the Oscars, winning Best Picture, 6 more]( By Jake Coyle Analysis Carrie Keller-Lynn [Tel Aviv police crisis presages potential constitutional showdown]( Should the High Court move to strike down judicial overhaul and the government reject its ruling, an unprecedented crisis looms; police and army would be unclear on whom to follow [Ben Gvir demands independent counsel, says he can’t rely on attorney general]( By Jeremy Sharon [Ben Gvir, AG tensions spike over High Court petitions, Tel Aviv police chief affair]( By Jeremy Sharon [Israel expresses frustration as delegation is barred from UN event in Saudi Arabia]( By ToI Staff and Lazar Berman Riyadh failed to issue visas to residents of Kfar Kama, a Circassian Muslim town picked as global ‘tourist village’; Tourism Ministry accuses UN of failing to meet own standards [Iran-Saudi Arabia deal casts China in unfamiliar, but growing, global role]( By AP [US promises Silicon Valley Bank customers can recoup funds after stunning collapse]( By Ken Sweet, CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, CHRIS MEGERIAN and Cathy Bussewitz New York’s Signature Bank follows California institution in being seized as Fed scrambles to contain fallout from liquidity crunch, head off more bank runs [US regulators shut down crypto-friendly Signature Bank as financial crisis grows]( By Agencies and ToI Staff [Iran says supreme leader pardoned 22,000 arrested in anti-regime protests]( By Jon Gambrell Number cited by head of judiciary offers glimpse at scale of crackdown on demonstrations since September, but also suggests regime feels secure in quelling movement [Iran claims prisoner swap with US imminent; Washington calls it a ‘cruel lie’]( By Agencies [Iran says rapprochement with Saudi Arabia will help end war in Yemen]( By Samy Magdy [Why a county in Utah could play a role in Israel’s judicial crisis]( By Ben Sales Israeli Supreme Court ruling recognizes US virtual marriage process, letting Israelis bypass the rabbinate and angering a ruling coalition that seeks controversial judicial change [Coin with oldest depiction of Temple menorah displayed for first time]( By Melanie Lidman New renovation of the Davidson Center in Jerusalem utilizes interactive tech and augmented reality to highlight history and archaeology of Temple-era Jerusalem [Israel rallies to top Nicaragua in first game of 2023 World Baseball Classic]( By ToI Staff Team with high expectations after surprise 2017 performance comes from behind to win 3-1, as it looks ahead to tougher competition in opening round robin stage [In episode of ‘The Equalizer,’ Adam Goldberg tackles antisemitic hate crimes in NYC]( By Stephen Silver The actor known for iconic Jewish roles like the Hebrew Hammer draws on real experience as a wave of hate crimes strikes Brooklyn in this past Sunday’s episode titled ‘Never Again’ [CRM]( More Headlines [Military pilots said angry at Netanyahu for using them as pawns in deception tactic]( By ToI Staff [Man seriously wounded in car explosion in north; terror motive suspected]( By Emanuel Fabian [Cops questioned for throwing stun grenades at Tel Aviv protesters]( By ToI Staff [BBC reinstates ex-soccer star who likened MPs’ language on migrants to Nazi Germany]( By AFP [Company aiming to create oxygen on moon finds process to make steel plants cleaner]( By Sue Surkes [Qatar spied on top Swiss prosecutor probing FIFA for corruption — report]( By AFP [UN buys ship to begin removing oil from decaying tanker off Yemen]( By Sue Surkes [Are Jews a racial group? US government ponders the meaning of race and ethnicity]( By Mike Schneider [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